As the case surrounding the death of digital activist Albert Ojwang continues to grip national attention, Safaricom’s M-PESA platform unexpectedly become a conduit for mass public solidarity, facilitating a flood of donations that reached technical limits within hours.
The father of the late Ojwang, Mr. Meshack Opiyo, became the primary recipient of public contributions after his mobile number was shared online by comedian and activist Eric Omondi on Wednesday.
Within three hours, the M-PESA wallet had reached its Ksh 500,000 ceiling, the maximum allowed account balance, demonstrating both the scale of national grief and the agility of digital payments infrastructure in moments of crisis.
According to Safaricom’s current terms, individual M-PESA wallets are capped at a daily limit of Ksh 500,000, with a single transaction ceiling of Ksh 250,000.
As donations surged, some well-wishers were met with system notifications indicating the recipient’s account had reached the upper limit, prompting the organisers to circulate a secondary number and advise the use of business tills such as Pochi La Biashara, which offer greater transaction flexibility.
Entertainer Omondi, who has previously spearheaded successful fundraising campaigns using mobile payments, noted that public response to the appeal was immediate and overwhelming, with donations flowing in “within 11 minutes” of the appeal going live.
M-PESA’s role in the fundraising effort indicate the platform’s ubiquity and resilience, particularly in moments of social urgency.
In recent years, the mobile money service has evolved beyond its original financial inclusion mandate to become a crucial enabler of grassroots mobilization, disaster response, and community-driven giving.
The fundraising efforts come amid heightened public scrutiny over Ojwang’s death while in police custody, which has triggered national outrage and renewed demands for transparency and police accountability.
A postmortem conducted by government pathologists cited evidence of blunt force trauma and neck compression, intensifying calls for independent investigations.
In the meantime, Kenyans have turned to familiar digital tools to channel grief into tangible support, in this case, to assist Ojwang’s three-year-old son and immediate family.
Speaking on Wednesday, Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa firmly distanced the company from any involvement in the circumstances surrounding Ojwang’s arrest and subsequent death, stating that the telco had not engaged with any law enforcement agency in relation to the case.
“We were not contacted by any security organ, nor did we provide any data or technical assistance concerning Mr. Ojwang’s location or arrest,” said Mr. Ndegwa, adding that the company only became aware of the incident through media coverage.
He further cautioned against what he termed “dangerously misleading narratives” circulating on social platforms, reiterating Safaricom’s commitment to customer privacy and adherence to strict legal and ethical data use protocols.
“We are deeply concerned by attempts to link Safaricom to this tragic event without basis. Safaricom has always upheld the integrity of its systems and data policies, and we operate within the bounds of law,” he said.
Mr. Ndegwa also extended condolences to the family of the late Ojwang and called for a “transparent and independent” investigation to establish the facts.
Safaricom’s remarks came amid intensifying online speculation and political commentary suggesting the use of mobile data in locating Ojwang prior to his arrest.
Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi was among public figures who appeared to criticise mobile service providers for allegedly enabling surveillance practices.
The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) also issued a separate statement rejecting claims that it provided real-time subscriber location data to state agencies in connection with the case.
“CA does not access, manage or facilitate any live tracking of individuals. Any lawful access to subscriber information must follow formal judicial procedures, including court-issued warrants,” the authority said, while expressing support for an impartial probe into the matter.
As legal and investigative processes unfold, Safaricom’s M-PESA continues to operate at the heart of Kenya’s digital economy — this time as a quiet backbone of a national moment of solidarity, grief, and civic giving.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja also announced that the Nairobi County Government would set up a dedicated liaison officer to support Ojwang’s family during this period, helping coordinate logistics for the funeral, access to social services and follow-up with relevant justice agencies.
