[kictanet] Equity says M-Pesa lines should be open

[James Mbugua]

Openness

I have always felt very strongly about this issue and I agree M-PESA should
be open. I used to barge Michael Joseph relentlessly about this. Open first
in the sense that third parties can interface their products on their API
but secondly and more importantly, open to talk to other platforms the way
banks talk to each other. I can withdraw money from Pesa Point or another
non-Barclays quite easily.

The fact is we cannot let platforms that stifle innovation continue to
prosper. AT&T was finally split up in 1984 not because of its overwhelming
market dominance, but that IT WAS REFUSING TO ALLOW NEW INNOVATIONS TO WORK
ON ITS PLATFORMS thus overall stifling technology.

In the same way, this is not a sustainable position for M-PESA if it
projects its medium to long-term horizon, surely it must see that even the
government will not be comfortable constantly hearing that this % of our
GDP passes through M-PESA.

If I was Safaricom I would be strategizing on how to open up the platform
as painlessly as possible before the combination of disruptive market
forces and government national security interests converge.

Already I can deposit money into my bank account with M-PESA and withdraw
it with Airtel Money. Surely, you don't need to be a genius to see that you
don't need that middle man called the bank if the demand for the service is
there.

Regards

James


On Tue, Aug 6, 2013 at 9:15 AM, Mark Mwangi <mwangy at gmail.com> wrote:

> In my opinion what Equity is asking for is for a common platform aka a
> common account that can be credited and debited by airtel money, yu cash
> orange money, tangaza etc in the manner that a visa credit card is open
> game for any merchant, bank etc. This way M-pesa becomes a platform and not
> a safaricom product.
>
> I actually don't see how Safaricom looses in this scenario. Exponentially
> more transaction fee collections, Increased dependence by industry players,
> maintain the intellectual property and ownership of the platform etc.
>
> Maybe they are reluctant due to technological immaturity. I also wouldn't
> want to embarrass myself after being feted worldwide.
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 5, 2013 at 8:31 PM, Kivuva <Kivuva at transworldafrica.com>wrote:
>
>> @areba, what Equity wants, if I'm not wrong is the ability for you to
>> setup a club within MPESA where you can use the platform to transfer
>> funds without them passing through Safaricom.
>>
>> The MPESA platform becomes  an enabler.  Unless anybody else has a
>> better understanding.
>>
>> --
>> ______________________
>> Mwendwa Kivuva
>> twitter.com/lordmwesh
>> kenya.or.ke | The Kenya we know
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>
>
> --
> Regards,
>
> Mark Mwangi
>
> markmwangi.me.ke
>
>
>
>
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> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
>
> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth,
> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>
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