Safaricom Fraud Sackings Spark Fresh Debate

Safaricom's decision to dismiss 118 employees over fraud-related misconduct has sparked fresh debate about financial security, accountability and public trust in Kenya's telecommunications industry. The development comes as the company reports recovering millions of dollars linked to irregular commission payments involving its mobile money agents.
According to a report published by BusinessDay on October 28, 2026, Safaricom dismissed 118 employees following internal fraud investigations during the financial year ended March 31, 2026. The company also recovered $7.34 million (approximately KSh953 million) linked to inflated commissions paid to its agents.
The figures were contained in Safaricom's 2026 Sustainable Business Report, which highlighted the company's efforts to strengthen financial controls and protect customers using its telecommunications and mobile money services.
The number of employees dismissed increased from 113 recorded in the previous financial year, suggesting that internal fraud remains a serious concern for the company.

What Happened at Safaricom?
Safaricom, one of East Africa's largest telecommunications companies, has intensified its efforts to tackle fraudulent activities within its operations.
The company's investigations identified different forms of misconduct, including theft, falsification of company records, unauthorised access to customers' call records and violations of security and compliance procedures.
Apart from dismissing 118 employees, Safaricom referred 14 cases to law enforcement agencies during the reporting period, compared with seven cases in the previous financial year. It also issued three disciplinary warnings.
However, it is important to distinguish between the employee dismissals and the recovered agent commissions. Safaricom's report did not establish that the $7.34 million recovered was directly connected to the employees who were dismissed.
The company attributed the recovery to proactive monitoring and data analytics, which helped identify irregular commission payments.
Safaricom also explained that suspected fraud could be identified through customer complaints or its internal fraud management system before investigations and possible disciplinary action.
Telecommunications fraud has become an important security challenge as more people depend on mobile phones and digital platforms for everyday financial transactions.
In Kenya, Safaricom's M-PESA platform has become a major channel for sending and receiving money, paying bills and conducting business. This convenience, however, also creates opportunities for criminals to exploit weaknesses in digital security and customer verification systems.
Fraudsters may use identity theft, social engineering, SIM-swap scams and unauthorised access to obtain sensitive customer information or steal money.
In some situations, customers can lose access to their mobile money accounts when criminals successfully manipulate SIM registration or replacement processes.
These activities can affect individuals, small businesses and larger organisations. They also create additional costs for telecommunications companies, which must invest in cybersecurity, fraud detection and customer protection.
Safaricom has continued introducing technological measures to strengthen its security systems, including real-time transaction monitoring and improved identity verification procedures.
The company has also reported that physical social engineering remains a major fraud threat to its subscribers, showing that security challenges are not limited to online attacks.

What This Means for Trust in Mobile Money Agents
The development raises important questions about the relationship between telecommunications companies, mobile money agents and their customers.
Mobile money agents play an essential role in connecting digital financial services with ordinary people. They help customers deposit and withdraw money, transfer funds and access services in communities where traditional banking facilities may be limited.
However, reports of inflated commissions and other fraudulent activities could weaken public confidence in the agent network.
Customers need to feel confident that the individuals handling their transactions are properly trained, trustworthy and operating under strict security guidelines.
For Safaricom, restoring and maintaining that confidence will require more than dismissing employees or recovering lost funds. The company must continue strengthening agent monitoring, improving identity verification and ensuring that suspicious transactions are investigated promptly.
Agents must also understand that protecting customer information and following established procedures are essential responsibilities.

The Bigger Picture
Safaricom's latest disclosures highlight the difficulties facing telecommunications companies as digital financial services continue to expand across Africa.
Although the recovery of KSh953 million demonstrates the importance of monitoring and internal controls, the number of dismissals also shows that fraud prevention remains an ongoing challenge.
Ultimately, customers will judge the company not only by the number of employees it dismisses or the money it recovers but also by how effectively it protects their funds and personal information.
The real test for Safaricom will be whether its stronger security measures can reduce fraudulent activities while preserving the convenience and reliability that have made mobile money services popular.
As digital payments become increasingly important to everyday life, building public trust must remain a priority for telecommunications companies and their agents.