Safaricom Moves to End ‘Nionyeshe Message Yako’ After M-Pesa Payments

Safaricom has introduced a new M-Pesa feature that allows customers to confirm payments at shops and businesses without showing attendants their personal M-Pesa confirmation messages.

The feature, known as M-Pesa Jumbe, is designed to protect customers’ privacy while making it easier for business owners and their employees to confirm payments.

Under the new system, a customer who pays through a participating Lipa na M-Pesa till receives a separate SMS confirmation containing limited transaction details. This means customers no longer have to expose their full names, phone numbers or M-Pesa balances when asked to prove they have paid.

How M-Pesa Jumbe Works

When a customer makes a payment at a business using the new feature, Safaricom sends three separate SMS notifications almost simultaneously.

The business owner receives the usual M-Pesa notification containing full transaction details, including the account balance.

Employees authorised to receive payment alerts get a second message showing the amount paid, business name, till number, transaction reference and time of payment.

The customer receives a third message containing only the details needed to confirm the transaction.

These include the transaction code, amount paid, business name, till number and date and time.

The employee notification also includes a customer identification code called a JumbeID instead of displaying the customer’s full personal details.

For example, a customer named Nancy Kamau whose phone number ends in 74 may appear as NK_74.

Safaricom says the unique transaction reference can help distinguish customers who may have similar JumbeIDs.

Who Can Use the New M-Pesa Feature?

M-Pesa Jumbe is available to eligible Lipa na M-Pesa till and Paybill merchants, as well as Pochi la Biashara users.

Business owners can nominate up to 50 employees under one shortcode to receive payment notifications directly on their phones.

This is particularly useful for businesses with several service points, shops and employees who handle customer payments.

Safaricom’s Acting Chief Financial Services Officer, Boniface Mungania, said the feature addresses challenges faced by businesses where employees need to confirm payments but should not have access to the owner’s full M-Pesa account.

How to Activate M-Pesa Jumbe

Business owners interested in using the service can activate it by dialling *234# and following the M-Pesa Jumbe menu.

They can also manage the service through the M-Pesa Business Hub.

Only the primary account administrator can activate the feature and nominate employees.

Once invited, each employee must accept an SMS invitation before they can start receiving payment notifications.

The service works through SMS and USSD, meaning employees can use it even on basic mobile phones without internet access.

Safaricom says support through the M-Pesa Business App will be introduced in a future update.

Customers do not need to register or activate anything to receive the separate payment confirmation.

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