[kictanet] Safaricom repossessing numbers (What the heck!)

Muthoka Ndambuki david at mndambuki.me.ke
Fri Sep 4 16:53:46 EAT 2020


Pole Brian,

Lakini hiyo fine print iko hivyo. Check below section 1 part c.

https://www.safaricom.co.ke/images/Downloads/Terms_and_Conditions/Conditions_of_use_of_the_Safaricom_Services_Ts_Cs_final_7_7_2020.pdf


On Fri, Sep 4, 2020 at 2:39 PM Erick Mwangi via kictanet <
kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:

> Apologies Brian!
>
> I too am keen to hear what CA says.
>
> Unfortunately this practice has existed for quite sometime now. I have
> "lost" two numbers now and painstakingly delinked my personal data twice,
> Safaricom was hearing none of this. Now what I have resulted doing is; my
> niece in Uni has the enviable task of loading 5bob every month to my line
> so that Safaricom do not sell the line to someone else - so much for
> Silicon Savannah. 🚶
>
> On the flipside, I acquired someone's line and well not very nice
> conversations when people you don't know call you and accuse you of all
> sorts of things.
>
> Good Luck, you will need it!
>
> E Njoroge Mwangi
> Technology| FINTECH | Big Data
>
> Cell +44 7539372742
> Skype: Erick.mwangi
>
>
> On Fri, Sep 4, 2020 at 11:49 AM Ali Hussein via kictanet <
> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>
>> Brian
>>
>> You raise very pertinent and interesting issues that are tied to Data
>> Privacy and Protection. You deserve a full explanation, apology, and
>> restitution from Safaricom.
>>
>> It will also be interesting to get comments from the CA.
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> *Ali Hussein*
>>
>> Digital Transformation
>>
>>
>> Tel: +254 713 601113
>>
>> Twitter: @AliHKassim
>>
>> Skype: abu-jomo
>>
>> LinkedIn: http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim
>> <http://ke.linkedin.com/in/alihkassim>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Any information of a personal nature expressed in this email are purely
>> mine and do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the
>> organizations that I work with.
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Sep 4, 2020 at 1:43 PM Brian Munyao Longwe via kictanet <
>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>>
>>> Hey Wash!
>>>
>>> So - Kenya passed number portability regulations some years back. If I
>>> can choose to port this number to Airtel or Equitel or Telkom or any other
>>> operator licensed by CA - doesn't this imply that the number is
>>> inextricably linked to me?
>>>
>>> What does the law and other regulations and MNO licenses say about this?
>>>
>>> Brian
>>>
>>> On Fri, Sep 4, 2020 at 12:06 PM Odhiambo Washington <odhiambo at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Fri, 4 Sep 2020 at 12:08, Brian Munyao Longwe via kictanet <
>>>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Hi folk,
>>>>>
>>>>> It's been a long time. I hope you are all well?
>>>>>
>>>>> So - mimi niko na issue.
>>>>>
>>>>> My Safaricom number 0715964281 has apparently been repossessed and
>>>>> sold to someone else. The other day I opened up my Safaricom app to send
>>>>> some m-pesa to my daughter as she transits through Nairobi from Malaysia
>>>>> and shock on me! It displayed the name as "Beatrice Chelangat"
>>>>>
>>>>> As many of you know - I have been "diaspora" for a good number of
>>>>> years (close to 9) and am currently based in Malawi. I went to the Kenyans
>>>>> in Malawi Whatsapp group and mentioned the issue and was told that my line
>>>>> is gone because I failed to top up in over 6 months. (This is very true, I
>>>>> think the last time I used the line was more than 8 months ago).
>>>>>
>>>>> What I find surprising is that this has never been a problem in the
>>>>> preceding 9+ years that I have been diaspora. My line has many times gone
>>>>> more than 6,7,8 months without a topup - but always "wakes up" when I load
>>>>> airtime. And m-pesa has always worked. What gives?
>>>>>
>>>>> I am distressed because my m-pesa, my e-Citizen, NTSA, bank accounts
>>>>> and many other digital assets / identity related items are linked to this
>>>>> number which I have had for the past 15+ years. My digital identity (and
>>>>> that of many others in similar predicament) is at risk. How did CA allow
>>>>> this kind of reappropriation to happen without an extensive process?
>>>>>
>>>>> I would expect that at a minimum - after the expiry of a period of
>>>>> non-use, and several alerts sent to the number Safaricom (or any other
>>>>> mobile operator) should publish a gazette notice listing numbers (and
>>>>> associated registered persons) they want to deactivate/repossess and allow
>>>>> a period (3 months?) for the owners to claim their number. At the end of
>>>>> this period then admittedly no one should complain.
>>>>>
>>>>> Otherwise as far as I am concerned I have just been the victim of a
>>>>> sim-cloning scam perpetrated by the same company that provides me with the
>>>>> telecoms service!
>>>>>
>>>>> I would like to hear what the thoughts of the many much brighter
>>>>> people than me on this group are....
>>>>>
>>>>> Best regards,
>>>>>
>>>>> Mblayo
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> Hi Mblayo,
>>>>
>>>> Hope you are doing well in Malawi.
>>>>
>>>> TBH, I don't remember when or even how Safaricom introduced this
>>>> change. I first heard it when I called their Customer Care.
>>>> What I think you should do it look for the initial dotted lines that
>>>> you signed to see if that provision was there.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Best regards,
>>>> Odhiambo WASHINGTON,
>>>> Nairobi,KE
>>>> +254 7 3200 0004/+254 7 2274 3223
>>>> "Oh, the cruft.", grep ^[^#] :-)
>>>>
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-- 
Regards,
Muthoka Ndambuki.
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