If you will be up and about tonight, it is wise to have some cash on you in your actual physical wallet instead of M-Pesa. It is also advisable to carry your debit card or have your money in alternative mobile money wallets like Airtel Money or T-Kash.
Safaricom’s scheduled M-PESA system upgrade will take the service offline between 12:30 AM and 3:30 AM on September 22.
This upgrade-related outage is not limited to Kenya; it will affect over 50 million M-Pesa customers across Africa. It aims to improve the user experience by allowing the platform to process more transactions, reduce service outages, and shorten the time it takes to roll out new features.
READ: Safaricom Upgrades M-PESA To Handle 6000 Transactions Per Second
Safaricom states that the three-hour upgrade window will allow for the successful transfer of customer data, live system testing, and the restoration of all M-PESA services, including payments and airtime purchases, before the morning’s peak activity.
During this time, all M-PESA services will be unavailable.
Alternatives for Purchasing KPLC Tokens
Key services, including the purchase of Kenya Power tokens, will be affected. During the three-hour maintenance window, you will not be able to use the Kenya Power PayBill numbers 888880 for prepaid tokens or 888888 for postpaid bill payments. But you won’t be in the dark.
The utility company was quick to remind Kenyans of alternative ways to purchase tokens. Major financial institutions offering electricity payment services include:
Mobile Money Platforms: Airtel Money through USSD (*334), Sim Toolkit, and mobile app.
Banking Partners:
- Equity Bank: Options include dialing *247#, using the Equity Mobile App or Equity Online.
- KCB Bank: You can use their USSD codes 522# or 844#, the KCB Mobile Banking App.
- Co-operative Bank, DTB Bank, Family Bank, I&M Bank, National Bank of Kenya, and NCBA Bank: These banks also offer token purchase services through their respective mobile apps and USSD codes.
READ: Airtel Money: Now Pay KPLC Bills with Zero Transaction Fees
The utility company was also keen on encouraging users to purchase tokens early, stating, “We also encourage you to purchase your electricity tokens in advance before the scheduled maintenance to avoid any inconvenience.”
