Safaricom Addresses Reports on Cancelling Starlink Payments via M-Pesa

Telecommunication giant Safaricom PLC has refuted claims circulating on social media that it has stopped processing Starlink Internet payments via M-Pesa.

The rumors emerged after some users on X alleged that Safaricom had discontinued the payment option for Starlink through its widely used M-Pesa service.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Safaricom confirmed that the payment option remains available and encouraged Kenyans experiencing difficulties to contact the company for assistance.

“This isn’t factual, the option is still there. Please reach out to us in case of any challenges faced,” Safaricom said.

Bwana Gathogo,
This isn’t factual, the option is still there. Please reach out to us in case of any challenges faced. https://t.co/SS4qiGDQUD

— Safaricom PLC (@SafaricomPLC) August 28, 2024

Last week, the telco requested that the Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) deny licenses to foreign service providers.

In a letter addressed to CA Director General and CEO David Mugonyi on July 5, 2024, Safaricom argued that licensing foreign companies could pose risks and cause harm to the country.

“Safaricom kindly requests the Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) to carefully assess the risk of granting independent licenses to satellite service providers and the consequent harm it may cause to Kenya,” the letter stated.

Safaricom suggested that instead of issuing independent licenses to foreign satellite service providers, the CA should have require these companies to operate under agreements with existing local license holders.

According to Safaricom, this would allow satellite service providers to function as infrastructure providers rather than being granted direct or independent licenses.

“Satellite service providers should therefore not be granted a license directly or independently but rather only permitted under the license rights of the local licensee,” the company added in its letter.