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Press Releases

Besides keeping customers updated through the press, Safaricom attracts wide media coverage all year round because of the services and programmes the company offers. Safaricom always keeps the media updated through press releases. Below are some of them.

2013 Press Releases

Annual Reports

You can view our annual and financial reports for the past few years by clicking on the links below.

Senior Management Team

Safaricom provides a great place to work and grow by offering opportunities for personal empowerment and career growth in an atmosphere of trust, honesty and openness.

To view the full profile, click on the individual's image.

IS YOUR LINE REGISTERED?

A government directive now requires that ALL phone numbers MUST be registered. This includes lines belonging to children under the age of 18 and SIM cards used in Safaricom modems or any other data devices such as iPads, iPhones and Tablets.

There is a need for every subscriber to register their SIM cards. SIM card registration is important as it will help reduce SIM related crimes which include hate messages, kidnappings, fraud in mobile money and many others.

We have simplified to process for you;

If you have not registered your SIM, all you need to do is visit any Safaricom shop, Dealer or an M-PESA agent. Remember to bring your national ID or other official identification documents.
Those who have registered on M-PESA but have not updated their physical address, postal address and alternative number should dial *232# to update and complete registration.
To confirm if you are fully registered, Dial *232#.

Register TODAY to avoid disconnection!!!!

Click here to download the Subscriber Sim Registration Form

2012 Press Releases

December

HIGH COURT DISMISSES FAULU BID TO BLOCK M-SHWARI

This afternoon, the High Court of Kenya threw out Faulu Kenya's legal bid to stop the operations of M-Shwari pending the determination of its claim of intellectual property infringement by leading telecom's service provider Safaricom Limited.

'We are pleased with the decision by Hon Justice Havelock because any stoppage of M-Shwari would have adversely impacted the finances of over 700,000 Kenyans who have embraced the revolutionary product and have already saved millions of shillings with M-Shwari' said Safaricom's Director Corporate Affairs, Nzioka Waita.

We further respect the decision of the High Court to retain the matter before it instead of referring it to the Intellectual Property Tribunal.

It remains our view that Faulu's suit was not filed on good faith and we look forward to the full hearing of the case as this will give us an opportunity not only to debunk the claims by Faulu, but to assert that Safaricom Limited respects the value of intellectual property rights and this will be self evident when the details of the suit are placed before the High Court.

LIBRARIAN WALKS AWAY WITH 10 MILLION BONYEZA USHINDE NA SAFARICOM GRAND PRIZE

Dec. 18, 2012…Leading integrated communications provider, Safaricom Limited has officially handed over the Kshs.10 million to Rose Wanjiru Mbugua, the winner of the grand prize in the Kshs. 85 million Bonyeza Ushinde na Safaricom promotion. Following her lucky break, she becomes the 60th and final millionaire created by the Bonyeza Ushinde completion in its 60 day run.

Ms. Mbugua's number was randomly selected through an automated system last Saturday, making her the biggest winner in the 60 day promotion which saw four customers won Kshs.2 million each in a fortnightly draw and 56 others win Kshs.1 million each in daily draws.

Receiving the prize, Ms. Mbugua who works as a librarian in one of the parastatals in the energy sector, said she was shocked beyond belief when she received a call from the number 0729 333 333 on Saturday evening, informing her that she was the lucky Kshs.10 million winner.

"I thank God for my good fortune," exclaimed an ecstatic Ms. Mbugua upon receiving the good news. "I will never forget this moment which is definitely one of the greatest days in my life," she added.

For the mother of three, it still is too soon to say definitively how she intends to spend the money but she is toying with the idea of developing an existing property. She is also looking into making some long term investments which will hopefully set her on the path of the previously elusive prosperity.

"In the last couple of years, promotions such as Bonyeza Ushinde have helped transform the lives of Kenyans by providing them with a windfall with which to secure their futures. For those who have planned properly and invested wisely, these promotions have proved to be life changing events. And so today as I congratulate Ms. Mbugua, I am glad to note that she is thinking seriously about using her good fortune to secure the future of her family through long term investments," said Safaricom CEO, Bob Collymore.

The promotion not only served to boost SMS revenues for Safaricom which stood at Kshs.7.8 billion (3% of the total revenue) in the 2011/2012 financial year, but to also enhance greater connectivity with customers.

Ends

About Safaricom

Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs 100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence.

Safaricom pioneered commercial mobile money transfer globally through M-PESA, the most successful such service anywhere in the world. Launched in March 2007 as a money transfer service, it now has over 15 million customers and over 37,000 Agent outlets countrywide.

KENYANS EMERGE TOP AT GLOBAL APPS DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGE

"Take top prizes of USD 25,000 and USD 15,000"
December 14th, 2012...Two Kenyans have scooped top honours in the recently concluded Appstar Challenge held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Gerald Kibugi who presented a game "Tough Jungle", took the first position in the Appstar Challenge sponsored by global telecommunications giant, Vodafone, while Gilbert Rono took the second slot with an educational application dubbed "Eureka".

Kibugi and Rono, won USD 25,000 and USD 15,000 respectively, following a thorough assessment by a global panel of top judges for the challenge which is aimed at spurring growth in the development of local apps in Africa and Asia.

Kibugi and Rono's apps beat a field of 284 entrants to win Kshs. 1 million and Kshs. 0.5 million respectively in the Kenyan finals organized by leading integrated communications provider, Safaricom Limited last in November.

Accepting their awards, Kibugi and Rono said their respective wins demonstrate that Kenya has indeed come of age in Apps development by showcasing the country's potential in a field that featured participants South Africa, Egypt, Qatar, Lesotho and Tanzania,

"There are many young Kenyans like us who have devoted their time and other resources to try and address local problems using local solutions that ride on the robust mobile ICT network. This win illustrates that their work is not in vain", said an ecstatic Kibugi.

Rono added, "We are now confident that we will now move on the next level in this journey, which is to create a vibrant local apps economy in Kenya, by availing these Apps on a platform where it can be acquired in a cost-effective way".

Congratulating the winners, Safaricom's Chief Executive Officer Bob Collymore promised to continue working with independent Apps developers, established software labs like the iHub and Universities, with a view to helping position Kenya as the Silicon Savannah.

"With the increased growth in mobile use, innovative mobile apps are becoming an important part of our day to day life. We recognize that huge app development talent exists in the emerging markets and in fact, only such developers can provide applications suitable for the local markets. This competition is an effort to bring out the developers in emerging markets to the limelight," said he.

Kibugi and Rono are expected back in the country on Friday, December 14, 2012.

LEGAL SUIT BY FAULU KENYA OVER M-SHWARI PRODUCT PROPOSITION

December 13th, 2012... Safaricom Ltd refers to recent media reports that make reference to a lawsuit filed by Faulu Kenya DTM, alleging the infringement of intellectual property rights over the recently launched M-Shwari product proposition.

While this matter is already in court and is therefore subject to sub judice rules, Safaricom Ltd seeks to clarify that M-Shwari is a proprietary product of Safaricom Limited which is the successful result of a 2-year product development process.

As you are aware, Safaricom Ltd has had a strong focus on Financial Inclusivity since 2007, when it launched M-Pesa. The commitment has been sustained through relevant enhancements informed by proactive research into user habits, dynamic customer needs and emerging trends, relating to the use of M-Pesa and other mobile finance solutions.

In developing M-Shwari, Safaricom Ltd and the Commercial Bank of Africa followed the due legal process as required by the Laws of Kenya.

As Kenya's leading integrated communications company, Safaricom has consistently worked hard to conceptually develop innovative solutions for all Kenyans. As a result Safaricom has built an enviable intellectual property portfolio.

While the allegations are lamentable and unfortunate, Safaricom will seek to have the matter resolved through the right legal processes. We believe that this law suit is tainted with malice because it is founded on untrue allegations.

We wish to assure our customers that all measures will be taken to ensure minimal service disruptions during this time.

November

CBA PARTNERS WITH SAFARICOM TO LAUNCH M-SHWARI

CBA PARTNERS WITH SAFARICOM TO LAUNCH A REVOLUTIONARY BANKING SERVICE THAT WILL ALLOW MILLIONS OF KENYANS TO SAVE AND BORROW USING THEIR MOBILE PHONES 27th November 2012...
CBA, Kenya's largest privately owned bank, and leading Integrated communications provider, Safaricom Limited have today announced the launch a revolutionary mobile banking service that will now make it possible for millions of Kenyans to save, earn interest and borrow money using their mobile phones.

Known as M-Shwari, the game changing innovation combines the best of CBA's 50 years of commercial banking experience with Safaricom's globally recognized and award winning M-PESA service. The new product is poised to positively contribute to Kenya's financial inclusion agenda by making it possible for people to save as little as Ksh1, and to earn interest at rates of up to 5% p.a. on their savings. Customers of the service will be able to borrow amounts from as little as Ksh 100 and the more they save the more the credit they will quality for.

"It is simple. There are no ledger fees, no limits on the frequency of withdrawals, no minimum operating balance and no charges on deposits for M-PESA to M-Shwari Account. You do not need to go to a branch and fill in application forms. Just one click on your phone and you will have a bank account at no cost. M-Shwari is a groundbreaking financial service innovation that will foster a culture of saving and allow Kenyans with no collateral to access micro-saving and loans products through the convenience of their mobile phones at very competitive terms" said Bob Collymore at the launch.

Safaricom's partnership with CBA is a case study of the growing and mutually beneficial convergence between the telecommunications industry and the banking sector. Safaricom has extensive and dynamic relationship with 25 commercial banks that enables the company to offer mobile banking solutions using its M-PESA payment ecosystem.

Commenting on these partnerships, Bob Collymore said, "we value the relationships and partnerships that we have with these banks and other financial institutions totaling to approximately 140. We believe that these partnerships will help us all drive the driving the financial inclusion agenda in Kenya."

"Safaricom was the natural choice for us as our delivery partner for M-Shwari due to our long standing relationship that has facilitated the successful rollout of M-PESA over the last five years," said CBA's Group Managing Director Isaac Awuondo. He added, "With this mobile banking product we will leverage on Safaricom's customer base of over 19.2 million subscribers - 15 million of whom are already M-PESA users-, and maximize on the reach its extensive distribution network comprising 47,000 agents".

It is estimated that over Ksh 300 billion sits outside the formal banking system and M-Shwari is designed to bring some of that money in to the formal banking environment by targeting the 12 million Kenyans identified by the Central Bank of Kenya and the Kenya Bureau of Statistics as being unbanked.

The loans from M-Shwari will attract a one-time facilitation fee of 7.5% of the borrowed amount. In order to qualify for a loan one needs to be an M-PESA subscriber for at least 6 months, put in some savings in the their M-Shwari account and also use other Safaricom services such as voice, data and M-PESA. Customers can sign up for M-Shwari by going to the Safaricom menu of their phone, select "M-PESA", go to "My Account", then "Update Menu", then enter "M-PESA PIN" and wait to receive the updated M-PESA menu. A key innovation that M-Shwari will introduce to the Kenyan market is a feature that will allow 19 million of its customers to know how much they can borrow using the service instantly by dialing *234*6#. A customer will then get a notification asking them whether they have read and accepted the terms and conditions.

SAFARICOM SHOWCASES BEST PRACTICES TO ETHIOPIAN PREMIER

22nd November, 2012… Leading Integrated Communications provider Safaricom Limited today hosted His Excellency Hailemariam Desalegn, The Prime Minister of Ethiopia and showcased its products and services well as best practices in the telecommunications sector. The Ethiopian premier's visit to Safaricom was part of a two day official visit to Kenya where he called on select institutions to gain a first-hand perspective on the operations of leading companies.

During the tour of Safaricom the Prime Mister said: "We would like learn and see greater partnerships between Safaricom and Ethiopia as we work to grow our ICT sector. We believe this will be mutually beneficial to the people of Kenya and Ethiopia.

Safaricom's success especially in the field of innovation and in M-PESA has placed Kenya on the world map. The company has become a case study for countries seeking to fast-track economic growth through financial access that leverages off mobile phone penetration.

Speaking during the visit, Safaricom Limited's Chairman Nicholas Nganga said, "It is indeed an honour for Safaricom to host H.E Hailemariam Desalegn. We are proud to be a Kenyan company that can export its best practices in technology to other countries pursuing mobile phone technology as a catalyst for economic growth."

During his official visit at the Safaricom Head Office, the Ethiopian Prime Minister who was accompanied by Dr. Bitange Ndemo PS Ministry of Information and Communications held discussions with the Safaricom Senior Management and viewed M-PESA operations.

Ethiopia is looking to countries such as Kenya, Brazil and Pakistan as it seeks to develop its mobile telephony market and leverage off the benefits of mobile technology. With an estimated population of 91 million people, Ethiopia is Africa's second largest nation and is seen as the next frontier for mobile phone led financial deepening.

SAFARICOM 1 MILLION REWARD FOR APPSTAR CHALLENGE WINNER

Nairobi, November 16 Leading integrated communications provider Safaricom has presented Kshs 1 million to Gerald Kibugi as the overall winner in the recently concluded Appstar Challenge. Gerald won for his game "Tough Jungle" while Gilbert Rono's Education App dubbed "Eureka" took the runners-up position.

In addition to winning the prize kitty of Shs. 1 million and Shs. 500,000 respectively, the two will present their Apps at the Vodafone Innovation Apps Challenge in South Africa, where they will compete with the developers of the best two Apps from Tanzania, Lesotho, South Africa, Egypt and Qatar.

Speaking at the during the presentation of awards to the winners of the Safaricom Appstar Challenge, Safaricom's Executive Business Analyst Nicholas Mulila said, "Kenya registered 894 submissions, out of which we got a total of 215 Apps that were submitted in the six categories of this App-Star challenge- the highest number entered in the challenge."

"I am especially encouraged that most of the entries were in the Productivity and Utilities category, pointing to the distinct determination by Kenyan developers to find solutions to the everyday problems that Kenyans face. This is aligned to Safaricom's vision to transform lives in this country," he added.

He said Safaricom has been working with iHub, Strathmore University and other developer communities, with a view to helping build capacity to come up with commercially viable Apps.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Communications and Information Permanent Secretary Bitange Ndemo said the Appstar Challenge has given more incentive to government plans to achieve the aspirations in Vision 2030.

"We already have the infrastructure and we now need to develop local content and Applications so that we can recoup the investments made in the installation of infrastructure. I commend all winners and wish to encourage those who haven't won not to give up, because they could their Apps and win in revenue generation", he said.

He said, "With a 99% internet access rate through mobile devices there has been a marked growth in mobile application development in Kenya over the last few years. Usage patterns of the subscribers including access to Social media, communication and gaming have helped developers create solutions form opportunities within these fields".

The winners of the Appstar Challenge are:

Safaricom Appstar Challenge – Gerald Kibugi – Grand Prize Winner – Tough Jungle
Safaricom Appstar Challenge - Gilbert Rono – Runner Up - Eureka

Category Winners

Safaricom Appstar Challenge - Thomas Kioko – Best Productivity and Utilities App-Nduru
Safaricom Appstar Challenge - Marcel Ogweno - Best Health App – Mimba Bora
Safaricom Appstar Challenge - Gerald Kibugi – Best Game App – Tough Jungle
Safaricom Appstar Challenge - Gordon Owiti – Best Agriculture App – M-Shamba
Safaricom Appstar Challenge - Gilbert Rono – Best Education App - Eureka
Safaricom Appstar Challenge - Vincent Maraba – Best Financial Inclusion App – Pesa Tracker

About Safaricom

Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. It is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence.

SEVEN STAR SPORTSPEOPLE SHORTLISTED FOR THE SOYA AWARD

Rudisha, Wanyama, Dunford, Kemboi, Tarbei for top honours

Nairobi, November 14 Safaricom Sportsman of the Year Awards (SOYA) Panel of judges has narrowed down to seven sportsmen and women who will battle it out for the overall title during the event's Gala Night planned for the 6th of December at the Carnivore grounds.

With the exception of Celtic and Harambee Stars midfielder Victor Mugubi Wanyama, the list is dominated by athletes who did duty for the country at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Topping the list for the top-most award is the world 800 meters record holders David Lekuta Rudisha. Rudisha not only won a gold medal in the London Olympic, but also broke his own record in the event after setting a new one of 1:40:91 thereby emerging as the Games' star attraction.

Rudisha has also been nominated for the IAAF Athlete of the Year Award alongside Jamaican multiple Olympic champion Usain Bolt and American 110m record holder Aries Merritt.

Ezekiel Kemboi, who was the only other gold medalist in London after winning the 3,000m steeplechase, also made the seven-man list for the top award. Kemboi is one of Kenya's most talented and consistent runners in the water and barrier event, which is considered the country's specialty.

Kenya's top swimmer Jason Dunford is the other favourite named for the title. Despite performing dismally at the Olympic Games, Dunford seems to have put his act together and continued to dominate the Fina/Arena swimming World Cup around the globe. He has so far won three gold, five silver and a bronze medal in the series.

Prior to the event, Dunford won three gold and two silver medals in the Africa Swimming Championships staged at Moi, Kasarani recently.

Paralympian Abraham Tarbei completes the men's list of top award. Tarbei is credited with having won a gold medal in the (T46) 1500m, where he also set a world record of 3:50:15. He also won bronze medal in the (T46) 800m, where he returned 1:56.

Recently Tarbei announced his interest in participating in events featuring able bodied athletes just like South-Africa's blade runner Oscar Pistorius.

Double world champion Vivian Cheruiyot and World Marathon Majors winner Mary Keitany are the only two female athletes gunning for the Sports Woman of the Year award. Vivian won silver in the 5,000m at the Olympic Games and settled for bronze in the 10,000m behind Ethiopian Tirunesh Dibaba and Sally Kipyego.

Leading integrated communications provider Safaricom Limited is sponsoring this year's awards for Kshs.7 million. The Sport Personality of the Year Awards which are in their 9th year are the country's most prestigious sports awards and they recognize excellence in all sporting disciplines.

About Safaricom

Sports Safaricom has had a longstanding tradition of sponsoring major sports events in the country. In 2008, the company offered cash incentives for the Olympics team and the Paralympics teams as motivation for a good performance. The telecoms company was the major sponsor of the 2010 African Athletics Championships, which were the first ever to take place in Kenya. Safaricom is also a major sponsor of the Sportsman of the Year Award-SOYA which honours excellence in athletics. The company is also associated with many local races both at the national and community level.

About SOYA

The Sports Personality of the Year Award was launched in 2004 by celebrated Kenyan athlete, Paul Tergat to celebrate and recognize star Kenyan sportsmen and women. The outstanding sports personality of the year is the one, who has not only brought fame to the motherland, but has also made many Kenyans proud in the course of the past year. The awards feature 15 distinct categories and the sports man and sports woman of the year categories.

PHARMACIST WINS MERCEDES IN SAFARICOM'S TIMIZA PROMOTION

Nairobi, November 2, 2012… Leading integrated communications service provider, Safaricom Limited, has today handed over a brand new Mercedes E-200 to Carol Adoga Mwanbihi, in the Timiza na M-PESA promotion grand draw.

Ms. Mwanbihi, who is a pharmacist working in Zimmerman Estate is a regular user of M-PESA who was totally floored by the phone call informing her of her good fortune. And as fate would have it, the 29 year old mother of one has earned the enviable distinction of having the luxurious vehicle as her first car.

"For the many years that I have been using M-PESA, I never dreamt of being rewarded this way and I thank God for this amazing occurrence. This win will indeed change my fortunes," said Ms. Adoga.

The first born in a family of five added that she would eventually sell the vehicle and use funds raised from the transaction to start a business and support her family.

When handing over the keys to the luxury car this morning, Safaricom's Chief Executive Officer Bob Collymore said "In the last five years, M-PESA has grown from a money transfer service to a convenience lifestyle tool which now incorporates many other financial transactions. We have grand plans afoot to grow the brand even further as we continue to push our financial inclusion agenda."

Timiza na M-PESA competition was a four week promotion which kicked off on the 2nd October 2012 and ended on the 29th of October 2012. In total, the competition awarded over Ksh. 18 million to more than 600 customers with prizes ranging from Ksh 3,000-Ksh 25,000. The competition is part of the "Relax, you have got M-PESA" campaign which is anchored on the convenience that M-PESA offers customers.

ENDS

About Safaricom-Corporate
Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs 100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence.

Safaricom pioneered commercial mobile money transfer globally through M-PESA, the most successful such service anywhere in the world. Launched in March 2007 as a money transfer service, it now has over 15 million customers and over 40,000 Agent outlets countrywide.

October

NIKO NA SAFARICOM LIVE MOMBASA LEG CALLED OFF

October 30th 2012… Leading integrated communications service provider Safaricom Limited has called off the Mombasa leg of the "Niko na Safaricom Live" tour citing security concerns at the Coast. This move will affect road shows, campus storms and the eventual concert slated for the 10th of November.

Company CEO said, "This was a tough decision because we were looking forward to having a wonderful engagement with our customers in Mombasa. The cancellation is a precautionary approach to the Security situation in Mombasa and not a response to any specific threat. We recognise the hard work that is being done to improve security at the coast yet at the same time we must put the safety of our customers, staff and operations the centre of all we do."

The 5 month "Niko na Safaricom Live" entertainment extravaganza kicked off in Meru in September, then moved to Kisumu, Eldoret with the Grand Finale in Nairobi on the15th of December. A cross-section of Kenya's leading entertainers including Camp Mulla, Jaguar, Jimmi Gait, Sauti Sol, Size 8 and comedy sensation Jalango have been headlining the 'Niko na Safaricom Live' concerts across the country.

ENDS

Notes to the editor

About Safaricom-Corporate
Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs 100 Billion and a subscriber base of 19.1 million, Safaricom also hosts Kenya's widest 3G network, the most expansive WIMAX presence alongside a growing fibre optic cable footprint.

Safaricom pioneered commercial mobile money transfer globally through M-PESA, the most successful such service anywhere in the world. Launched in March 2007 as a money transfer service, M-PESA now has over 15 million customers and over 37,000 Agent outlets countrywide

About Niko na Safaricom Live
Niko na Safaricom Live is Kenya's biggest corporate-sponsored music property and an initiative between Safaricom and the Kenya Music industry. Launched in October 2010, the objective of the partnership is to nurture music talent by equipping Kenyan artistes from different genres with requisite skills and providing a national platform to showcase their talent. Niko Na Safaricom Live is also geared to enhance the artiste's stage performances and presence.

Niko na Safaricom live will also incorporate performances by last year's Safaricom Kenya Live artistes who include amongst others Redsan, Wahu, Jua Cali, Wyre, Mike Rua, Nameless, Ken wa Maria, Osogo Winyo, Ally B, Phonotex Success Band, M.O.G, Eko Dydda, Allan Aaron, DJ John and Mike Rua among other guest artistes.

NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY PROGRAMME IS FORMALLY LAUNCHED

October 24, 2012…Leading integrated communications provider Safaricom Limited and the Media Owners Association have today launched a three-year multi-sectoral road safety programme aimed at addressing run away road carnage.

The National Road Safety Programme is a grand plan conceptualised by leading integrated communications service provider Safaricom and the Media Owners Association to promote responsible and proper usage of the road by all road users.

The programme will be spearheaded by an 11 member Trust whose membership includes the government, Traffic Police, Safaricom, MOA, Matatu Owners Association, Kenyatta National Hospital, EABL, Total, General Motors and Direct Line Assurance.

Speaking at the programme's launch, Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore hailed the birth of the Road Safety Programme which he termed a much needed respite for a gnawing societal problem.

"In Kenya, road accidents have become an acceptable part of our lives. Repeated occurrences have resulted in overexposure and the corresponding fatigue; and as a nation therefore, we seem resigned to fate. And given that we are approaching the accident prone December period, the timing of this launch couldn't have come at a better time," said Collymore.

At the core of this initiative is a concerted educational campaign aimed at influencing behavioural change on the part of all road users. The initiative which is anchored on the clarion call, 'Toa Sauti' will sensitize Kenyans on the need to take personal responsibility for their actions as drivers, passengers and pedestrians.

Presently, Kenya records more than 3000 deaths a year as a result of road accidents making it the country with one of the highest road accident incidents in the world. Given that this figure only takes into account those who die at the scene of the accident, the actual statistics of those killed and maimed are estimated to be in their tens of thousands.

"The media plays a crucial role in highlighting matter of national importance. Over the years, we have reported on injuries and deaths resultant from road accidents. We did this as news; but now, media owners want to play their role in galvanizing Kenyans to take action to end road carnage. Through this partnership, we can save lives," said Kiprono Kittony, Chairman Media Owners Association.

The newly launched Road Safety Programme will complement various efforts put in place by the government and the private sector including the famous Michuki Rules and the recently enacted National Transport and Safety Authority Act 2012.
ENDS

Notes to the editor

SAFARICOM AND M-KOPA UNVEIL KSHS.40 A DAY SOLAR UNIT

19th October 2012… Leading Integrated communications service provider Safaricom Limited has in partnership with M-KOPA launched the first ever GSM enabled pay-as-you-go solar solution in the world that customer pay for using mobile money. Using embedded Safaricom enabled sim cards, M-KOPA Solar allows a customer to enjoy the use of a d.light solar home system, while paying daily installments of Kshs.40 via M-PESA for a period of one year. An initial deposit ofKshs.2,500 applies, following which customers pay for usage at their convenience.

This credit-sale model is targeted at low income households in rural areas currently dependent on kerosene for lighting and local mobile bureaus for phone charging. An estimated 3 million Kenyan homes or 80% of the population living off the power grid spend an average of Kshs.70 daily on kerosene and phone charging.

"The barrier to large-scale adoption of solar lighting has been the high upfront cost of ahome system, which makes it unaffordable to the majority of Kenyans. Indeed the penetration of solar lighting products in Africa as a whole remains at less than 2%. M-KOPA Solar has been developed to remove this barrier by making solar home systems affordable and accessible to low income consumers," said Safaricom CEO, Bob Collymore.

M-KOPA Solar makes available the d.light Solar Home System, a high quality product which combines 3 bright bulbs and a mobile phone charging to meet the needs of the average Kenyan family. It has a one year warranty and a product lifespan of 7-10 years. .

"As with M-PESA, M-KOPA has been designed specifically to suit the needs and budgets of Kenyan consumers. By working with Safaricom, a world leader for mobile innovation, we can spread this new service to all parts of Kenya," Nick Hughes, Chairman of M-KOPA, formerly Global Head of M-PESA for Vodafone Group.

Jesse Moore the Managing Director M-KOPA hailed the M-KOPA solar solution as a great step forward in promoting the clean energy inclusion agenda.

"M-KOPA succeeds when our customers save money. We have over 1,000 customers in Kenya already, with a wide majority telling us how good it feels to save money while getting far better lighting than with kerosene and the convenience of mobile phone charging at home. We look forward bringing better lighting at lower cost to tens of thousands of homes over the coming year."

M-KOPA solar is currently available in 75 shops in Eldoret and Kitale with plans underway to scale nationwide. Over the next quarter 250 dealers in the North Rift, Nyanza and Western parts of the country will be signed up with a planned roll out for the rest of Rift Valley, Central, Eastern and the Coast planned for next year.

ENDS

Notes to the editor

About Safaricom-Corporate
Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs 100 Billion and a subscriber base of 19.1 million, Safaricom also hosts Kenya's widest 3G network, the most expansive WIMAX presence alongside a growing fibre optic cable footprint.
Safaricom pioneered commercial mobile money transfer globally through M-PESA, the most successful such service anywhere in the world. Launched in March 2007 as a money transfer service, M-PESA now has over 15 million customers and over 37,000 Agent outlets countrywide

About M-KOPA
M-KOPA is a mobile technology company based in Nairobi, Kenya. Since 2010 we have helped Kenyans acquire solar power products by offering innovative payment plans and a distribution model tailored to the needs of our customers.

M-KOPA Solar provides affordable solar-powered lighting and mobile charging to rural Kenyans on a pay-as-you-go basis, with payment via M-PESA. Additional products using the same patent-pending technology are in pilot. Our team includes the founder and former executives of Kenya's popular M-PESA mobile money service.

We work with best-in-class partners, including Kenya's leading mobile operator Safaricom, the award winning solar lighting company d.light, and M2M experts eseye. Contact customer care on 0707.333.222 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About d.light:
d.light is a for-profit social enterprise whose purpose is to create new freedoms for customers without access to reliable power so they can enjoy a brighter future. We aim to transform the lives of at least 100 million people by 2020, and have reached 10 million since founding, currently growing at the rate of 1 million new lives transformed per month.
d.light serves over 40 countries, through over 6,000 retail outlets, 10 field offices, and four regional hubs. The company employs over 200 people directly, and indirectly employs hundreds more worldwide.

SAFARICOM LAUNCHES E-WASTE RECYCLING PROGRAMME

October 17, 2012…Leading integrated communications services provider, Safaricom Limited in in partnership with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Centre (WEEE) has today launched Kenya's largest E-Waste recycling program. This Kshs 20 million non-profit initiative comes hot on the heels of the recent shutdown of counterfeit mobile phones and it therefore is perfectly timed to mop up any gadgets rendered unusable by the exercise.

Safaricom CEO, Bob Collymore speaking during the launch said, "A report by UNEP in 2009 shows that Kenya is responsible for more than 17,000 tonnes of e-waste every year, out of which mobile phones contribute in excess of 150 tonnes. As a responsible corporate entity, we have taken this bold step to ensure that our customers are not exposed to the adverse effects associated with the improper disposal of e-waste."

Through the initiative, customers will be able to deposit disused electronic equipment such as old phones, chargers, batteries, toys, laptop computers and music players in any of the 36 Safaricom retail centres and offices countrywide.

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Centre (WEEE) will then collect the equipment from Safaricom, disassemble the gadgets and use what can be recycled locally to make plastic chairs and poles. What cannot be recycled locally, will be shipped out of the country to other partners to be disposed off in an environmentally friendly way.

E-waste is harmful to the environment and in extreme cases; bio-hazardous elements associated with e-waste have been known to have a negative on health.

-ENDS-

About Safaricom
Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs 100 Billion and a subscriber base of 19.1 million, Safaricom also hosts Kenya's widest 3G network, the most expansive WIMAX presence alongside a growing fibre optic cable footprint.

How the E-Waste Recycling Program will work
Safaricom has placed collection boxes at each of its 36 retail centres and offices countrywide where customers will to be able deposit their old phones, chargers, batteries, toys, laptop computers, music players and other obsolete electrical equipment.

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Centre (WEEE) will then collect the equipment from Safaricom, disassemble the gadgets and use what can be recycled locally to make plastic chairs and poles.

SAFARICOM UNVEILS KSHS.85 MILLION PROMO

"Promo is the largest this year: 60 customers to win Kshs.1 million, one lucky winner to get Kshs.10 million"

October 16, 2012 … Kenya's leading integrated communications service provider Safaricom Limited has set aside a whopping Kshs.85 million as prize money for the largest consumer promotion this year.

Dubbed Bonyeza Ushinde na Safaricom, the 60 day promotion will climax in a grand draw that will see one lucky winner walk away with an impressive Kshs. 10 million.

In the landmark promotion, four customers will scoop Kshs. 2 million each in a fortnightly draw in addition to 56 daily winners of Kshs. 1 million each.

Other prizes include winners of Kshs.10,000, Kshs.5000 and Kshs.2,500 via M-PESA each having 5 winners and 1000 daily winners of Kshs. 100 airtime. In all, more than 60,961 customers stand to benefit from this grand promotion.

Speaking at the launch of the promotion, CEO Bob Collymore noted the central role that customers play in keeping Safaricom at the helm of the industry.

"The growth of our company over the years has been achieved through a combination of well executed strategies and of course, our valued subscribers who are the pillars behind Safaricom. And through award schemes such as this one, we are able to express our gratitude to our valued customers whose loyalty continues to inspire our success," said Mr. Collymore.

This new promotion is a successor to the hugely acclaimed and precedent setting Masonko na Safaricom which awarded Kshs.1 million daily in 10 weeks. The Bonyeza Ushinde na Safaricom promotion is open to both PrePay and PostPay subscribers and it runs between Tuesday 16TH October 2012 and Friday 14th December 2012.

Notes to the editor
About Safaricom
Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs 100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence.

How to Participate
• To participate in the Promotion you will first send an SMS with your name (maximum of 10 characters) to short code 555.
• You will receive a response message confirming your entry and award of the bonus 100 points for entering the Promotion.
• The message will also contain a question with two (2) multiple choice answers (A or B).
• If your answer is correct you will receive affirmative response and within the same message you will receive another question.
• If your answer is wrong, you will receive an encouraging response and another question will be contained in the same message for you to answer.
• Charges to each SMS to 555 will cost Ksh 5/-.All responses/questions to the subscriber will be FREE.
• When you answer a question, the next question presented to you will contain an update of your points
• Winning is via Random Computer selection and therefore being a game of chance, the more entries you have the higher your chances of winning
• Winners will be called through the promotion number 0729333333 and the promotion is open to both PrePay and PostPay subscribers.
• Winners of the Ksh 100 airtime will receive airtime pins worth 100/- each and will receive an SMS notification informing them that they have won.
• The winners will range from airtime winners of Ksh 100, cash winners of Kshs.2,500 daily to the grand winner of Kshs. 10 million to be won in which more than 60,000 customers stand to benefit. Over Kshs. 85Million in cash Prizes to be won in 60 days.

'DAKTARI 1525'CALL RATES SLASHED BY 50%

11TH October, 2012- Leading integrated mobile service provider Safaricom Limited has slashed by half call costs to Daktari 1525 to Kshs.10 per minute. Daktari 1525 is a teletriage service which allows customers to get medical help from qualified doctors through the phone by dialing 1525.

While making the announcement, Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore noted that by reducing the call rates, more subscribers would now be able to access the Daktari 1525 service which was launched in November last year.

"The Daktari 1525 service was introduced so as to widen the bracket of Kenyans with access to quality healthcare. By reducing the call rates, our intention is to ensure that this vision is not inhibited by costs given that majority of Daktari 1525 users are in the Kshs. 0-500 range," Mr. Collymore said.

Presently, Daktari 1525 service receives up to 2,000 callers per day. Since its launch last year; over 200,000 calls have been received for issues ranging from medical emergencies, suicide, reproductive health advice and information on small children who fall sick at night.

According to Dr Polly Okello, a Director at Call-a-Doc, majority of the callers come from Nairobi, Rift Valley and Central regions. He added that the Daktari 1525 service has set aside Wednesdays and Fridays as "specialist days" where Pediatricians and Gynaecologists are available to respond to calls.

"This follows the realization that many of the callers need specialist advice especially on matter to do with children and reproductive health," Dr Okello said.

Presently, the Doctor- patient ratio is one doctor for every 17,000 patients which is way below the WHO recommended one doctor for every 1,000 patients. The Daktari 1525 service will address this challenge and see people who would otherwise never get medical help from a doctor access it.

The Daktari 1525 service is co-owned by Safaricom and Call-a-Doc limited, an establishment that deals with the dissemination of medical information using modern communication tools. Safaricom offers the platform and connectivity while the Call-a Doc limited offers the expertise in medical services and hires doctors.

ENDS…

About Safaricom Foundation
The Safaricom Foundation is a registered charitable trust, and is the Corporate Social Investment arm of Safaricom Limited. Since its inception in 2003, it has disbursed Kshs.1.5 Billion towards various social projects that provide sustainable solutions to the most pressing social challenges. Its focus areas are Education; Health; Economic Empowerment; Environmental Conservation; Arts and Culture and Sports. The Foundation also responds to disasters and humanitarian emergencies as they arise. Safaricom Foundation's strategic directions contribute towards Kenya's development agenda and the Millennium Development Goals. Website: www.safaricomfoundation.org

About Safaricom Corporate
Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs 100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence. Safaricom pioneered commercial mobile money transfer globally through M-PESA, the most successful such service anywhere in the world. Launched in March 2007 as a money transfer service, it now has over 18 million customers and over 37,000 Agent outlets countrywide.

MERCEDES FOR LUCKY M-PESA CUSTOMER IN NEW PROMO

2nd October, 2012….Leading integrated communications services provider Safaricom Ltd has today launched a Kshs.18 million M-PESA promotion which will see a lucky customer drive away in a brand new Mercedes E200 valued at Kshs.7.7 million.

In the promotion, 20 customers will be rewarded with Kshs.25,000 each in a daily draw which will also see 25 weekly winners take home Kshs.5,000 and another 25 weekly winners receive Kshs.3,000 to their M-PESA accounts.

Safaricom's Chief Executive Officer Bob Collymore said this new campaign is aimed at changing the perception of M-PESA from that of a money transfer service to a convenience lifestyle tool. Through this campaign, Collymore is encouraging more Kenyans to utilize the full range of services available on M-PESA noting that the opportunities for growth for the award winning service in this market are huge.

He said, "Customers with M-PESA need not queue at ATM's or to pay their bills. We have established strategic partnerships that make it possible for you to access your finances from the comfort of your home or office, at the touch of a button."

The competition will be open to M-PESA customers who access their bank accounts through M-PESA, make payments using M-PESA pay bill and purchase goods through M-PESA Buy Goods.

About Safaricom
Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs 100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence.

Safaricom pioneered commercial mobile money transfer globally through M-PESA, the most successful such service anywhere in the world. Launched in March 2007 as a money transfer service, it now has over 15 million customers and over 37,000 Agent outlets countrywide.

About MPESA
The M-PESA service, the first of its kind in the world, was launched in March 2007 by Safaricom Limited making Kenya the first country in the world to effect a successful mobile money transfer service. The multiple award winning service currently has over 15 million active customers service and more than 40,000 agents countrywide.
With M-PESA, account holders can transfer funds, pay bills, purchase goods and services and make bank transactions.

SAFARICOM COMPLIES WITH CCK COUNTERFEIT PHONES SWITCH OFF DIRECTIVE

Nairobi, 1ST October 2012… Leading integrated communications service provider, Safaricom today confirmed that it had completed the blocking of all counterfeit mobile phone handsets on its network.

Industry regulator, Communications Commission of Kenya "CCK" had issued the directive to the industry compelling all service providers to ensure that counterfeit phones were blocked from accessing Kenyan mobile networks with effect from 30th September 2012.

The service provider indicated that the mandatory exercise which began at midnight on 30th September 2012 impacted over 680,000 customers out of its 19.1 million subscriber base. Although the service provider said that it was too early to assess the financial implications of the blocking exercise, it confirmed that initial analysis of the customers impacted so far clearly indicated that the areas around Nairobi, Rift Valley, Central and Eastern were hardest hit by the exercise. Combined, these areas accounted for more than 60% of the targeted counterfeit phones.

Company CEO Bob Collymore stated, "we deeply regret the inconvenience and anxiety that this exercise has caused amongst our customers. We realise that they have little to do with presence of these counterfeit devices in the country and it is unfortunate that they have had to shoulder the negative consequences of the same. In order to mitigate the inconvenience we have been contacting all affected customers and providing them with the option of purchasing affordable genuine phones or redeeming their Bonga Loyalty Scheme Points for new handsets."

Mr Collymore further stated that, "For this exercise to be successful, all operators have to play their part and diligently block the counterfeit devices based on lists they receive from the other networks. We recognise that blocking handsets alone is not the long term solution and we call for more support to the CCK by related Government agencies to block entry and sale of the counterfeit devices and to step up prosecution of those who engage in their illegal importation and sale."

He further called on the Government to reconsider the impending decision to impose VAT on mobile phones saying that the move would make genuine mobile phones unaffordable to the majority of Kenyans and instead fuel the black market trading of counterfeits.

Safaricom subscribers can also confirm the authenticity of their handsets by dialling *#06# to get the IMEI number which they in turn send by SMS to 1555.

End…

Notes to the Editor
About Safaricom Corporate
Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs.100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence.

September

SAFARICOM TO COMPLY WITH CCK COUNTERFEIT SWITCH OFF DEADLINE

Nairobi, 25th September 2012… Leading Integrated Communications service provider, Safaricom intends to commence the switch off of all counterfeit handsets on its network from 30th September 2012 at 2359 hrs.
Approximately 600,000 out of Safaricom's 19.1 Million subscriber base will be affected by this switch off. Company CEO Bob Collymore, "we deeply regret the inconvenience that this switch off will cause to our innocent subscribers. We have been contacting all affected customers and providing them with affordable genuine options. Mr Collymore further stated that this "exercise will only be successful if all operators play their part.

For technical reasons, Safaricom will conduct the counterfeit handsets switch off in phases. The exchange of data with other operators for blocked handsets will begin by the 1st of October to ensure cross network blocking.

Mr Collymore further stated that, "We recognise that blocking handsets alone is not the long term solution and we call for more support to the CCK by related Government t agencies to block entry and sale of the counterfeit devices and to step up prosecution of those who engage in the vice."
Safaricom subscribers can also confirm the authenticity of their handsets by dialling *#06# to get the IMEI number which they in turn send to 1555.
End…

Notes to the Editor
About Safaricom Corporate
Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs.100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence.
Safaricom pioneered commercial mobile money transfer globally through M-PESA, the most successful such service anywhere in the world. Launched in March 2007 as a money transfer service, M-PESA now has over 18 million customers and over 39,000 Agent outlets countrywide.

SAFARICOM'S KSHS.16.9 MILLION CHEQUE FOR LONDON MEDALLISTS

September 18, 2012… Leading integrated communications services provider Safaricom Ltd has today honoured the London Olympics and Paralympics medallists with cash rewards totalling Kshs. 16.9 million
The Olympics contingent which brought home two gold, four silver and five bronze took home a collective sum of Kshs. 9.4 million while the Paralympics team with four gold, one silver and two bronze medals was awarded Kshs. 7.5 million.
The big winners of the day were double Paralympics silver medallist David Korir who got Kshs.2.4 million for lowering world records in the 1,500 m and 800 m T 12 categories and 1500 metres,T46 world record holder and 800 metres,T46 bronze medallist Abraham Tarbei who walked away with a cheque for Kshs. 2.3 million.

David Rudisha, Samuel Mushai and his guide, James Boit got Kshs. 2 million each for setting new world records in their events while Mary Nakhumincha was awarded Kshs.1 million for bagging the coveted Dr. Whang Youn Dai Award for exemplifying the best spirit of the Paralympic Games.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Safaricom's Chief Executive Officer Bob Collymore said that awards are a token of appreciation for the time that the athletes have committed in training and sacrifice so as to make the country proud.

"I think it is time we all got together to find out how we can take our sportsmen to the next level. We need to work together with athletics bodies, with government to invest in facilities and programmes that help us develop strength in a wide range of athletics events such as sprints and short distance running," said Collymore.

ENDS

Notes to the editors:

About Safaricom Corporate
Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs 100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence.
Safaricom pioneered commercial mobile money transfer globally through M-PESA, the most successful such service anywhere in the world. Launched in March 2007 as a money transfer service, it now has over 15 million customers and over 37,000 Agent outlets countrywide.

About Safaricom Sports
Safaricom has had a longstanding tradition of sponsoring major sports events in the country. In 2008, the company offered cash incentives for the Olympics team and the Paralympics teams as motivation for a good performance. The telecoms company was the major sponsor of the 2010 African Athletics Championships, which were the first ever to take place in Kenya.
Safaricom is also a major sponsor of the Sportsman of the Year Award-SOYA which honors excellence in athletics. The company is also associated with many local races both at the national and community level.

MEDALLISTS TABLE

*Name*	*Gold*	*Silver*	*Bronze*	*Sport/Category*	*Notes*
David Rudisha	2,000,000			800 m	World record broken
Ezekiel Kemboi	1,000,000			3,000 m Steeplechase
Abel Kirui		600,000		Mens Marathon
Vivian Cheruiyot		600,000	300,000	5,000m and 10,000m
Priscah Jeptoo		600,000		Women's Marathon
Sally Kipyego		600,000		10,000 m
Wilson Kipsang			300,000	Mens Marathon
Thomas Longosiwa			300,000	5,000m
Timothy Kitum			300,000	800 m
Abel Kiprop Mutai			300,000	3,000 m Steeplechase
	*Gold*	*Silver*	*Bronze*
Abraham Tarbei	2,000,000		300,000	1,500 m T46 category	World record broken
Samuel Mushai Kimani	2,000,000			1,500 m T 11 category	World record broken
James Boit (*Mushai's Guide)	2,000,000			1,500 m T 11 category	World record broken
David Korir		2,400,000		1,500 m, T 12 and 800 m T 12 category	Won 2 silver medals. World record broken in 1 event
Henry Kirwa			300,000	5,000 m
Mary Nakuminchia	1,000,000			Dr Whang Youn Dai Award. Chosen as the female athlete who exemplified the best spirit of the Paralympic Games	Global award Gold Medal*
	10,000,000	4,800,000	2,100,000
Total:	16,900,000

SAFARICOM UNVEILS NEW M-PESA AD CAMPAIGN

17th Sept 2012…Leading integrated communications service provider, Safaricom Limited has today launched M-PESA Relax, a campaign aimed at positioning M-PESA as a lifestyle convenience tool.

M-PESA Relax advertising campaign aims to encourage and reward M-PESA users who deploy the convenience creating feature of the service. During the campaign, Safaricom will award customers for paying bills, purchasing goods and services and making bank transactions through the M-PESA service.

"In today's fast paced world a premium is placed on time and convenience, M-PESA squarely fits in this gap. Studies show that customers save 3 hours per transaction which is ploughed back into economic productivity and the savings of US$ 3 is spent mainly on food and savings," said Mr. Bob Collymore, Safaricom's CEO .

Presently, M-PESA enjoys 100% awareness with more than 90% of all mobile phone subscribers in the country using the service. However, the bulk of the transactions involve money transfer and airtime purchase.

"Safaricom knows and evolves with its customers. And we know our consumers want freedom and convenience. Their time is precious and with M-PESA, they can do more with their time," said Mr. Bob Collymore "In a recent experiment , a customer was able to operate cashless for 60 days relying on M-PESA for all his financial transactions meaning that one can rely on M-PESA to stay on top of life's everyday needs conveniently," he added.

M-PESA was launched in 2007 as a money transfer service. Since then, it has grown to include other services such as airtime purchase, saving money, paying bill, bank account withdrawal and deposit, purchase of goods and bulk payments.

NOTES TO THE EDITOR

SAFARICOM FOUNDATION IN KSHS.10 MILLION BOOST TO TANA RIVER CLASH VICTIMS

12th Sept 2012…The Safaricom Foundation has donated Kshs.10 million to go towards the provision of shelter for the victims of the recent spate of deadly attacks in the Tana Delta.

At least 112 people have lost their lives and more than 12,000 displaced by the ethno-political clashes that have been ongoing in parts of the Tana Delta for the last four weeks, starting on the night of 13th August 2012.

Safaricom's Chief Executive Officer Bob Collymore called for a speedy resolution to the crisis which is threatening to annihilate the communities involved in the conflict.

"What is happening in the Tana Delta is unacceptable and cannot be allowed to continue. With next year being an election year, it is my plea that dialogue will prevail and replace the violence that has lamentably taken root," said Mr. Collymore.

Mr. Collymore further noted that, "This violence if not brought to a speedy resolution will hurt Kenya's international standing and result in a drop in investor confidence subsequently hurting the business sector and in particular tourism."

The Kenya Red Cross and the local administration have been at the Tana Delta providing much needed humanitarian aid that includes food and non-food items, shelter, relief and health services to people affected by the conflict most of whom have settled in temporary camps.

"Our resources are quickly getting depleted and unless peace is quickly restored, the humanitarian situation will worsen.

The Kenya Red Cross Society is therefore appealing for more assistance that will lead to more permanent solutions," said Abbas Gullet, Kenya Red Cross General Secretary.

NOTES TO THE EDITOR

Safaricom-Corporate
Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs 100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence.
Safaricom pioneered pioneered commercial mobile money transfer globally through M-PESA, the most successful such service anywhere in the world. Launched in March 2007 as a money transfer service, it now has over 15 million customers and over 37,000 Agent outlets countrywide.

Safaricom Foundation
The Safaricom Foundation is a registered charitable trust, and is the Corporate Social Investment arm of Safaricom Limited. Since its inception in 2003, it has disbursed Kshs.1.5 Billion towards various social projects that provide sustainable solutions to the most pressing social challenges. Its focus areas are Education; Health; Economic Empowerment; Environmental Conservation; Arts and Culture and Sports. The Foundation also responds to disasters and humanitarian emergencies as they arise. Safaricom Foundation's strategic directions contribute towards Kenya's development agenda and the Millennium Development Goals. Website: www.safaricomfoundation.org

SAFARICOM AND VODAFONE LAUNCH APPS CHALLENGE

Nairobi, 6th September 2012…Leading integrated communications service provider Safaricom Limited and the global telecom's giant Vodafone Group PLC have today have today announced the launch of AppStar, a unique mobile applications developer challenge that will see the top Kenyan developer take home Kshs 1 Million. Appstar is a regional competition which will take place in Kenya, Lesotho, South Africa, Tanzania, Egypt, Ghana and Qatar that will run from September 6, 2012 to November 21, 2012.

Speaking during the launch, Safaricom's Director of Corporate affairs Nzioka Waita said," we recognise that the next phase of real innovation in the mobility space will come from local app developers. We therefore see the Appstar challenge as the logical next step in deepening local talent giving them a chance to compete against the best in Africa but also reap from their innovation."

The competition will feature entries in six categories: Games/ Entertainment, Health, Education, Agriculture, Financial Inclusion and Productivity. All applications developed during the challenge must run on Android, BlackBerry, Symbian or Java operating systems.

Safaricom will spend over Kshs 2 million on this award scheme and also give the overall winners and runners up the opportunity to compete with finalists from the other six countries for the grand prize from Vodafone in Johannesburg in December.

Applications from the competition will be hosted on the Safaricom and Vodafone apps stores for use by customers within these networks. This will increase exposure of a developers' application across the multiple networks which make up the Vodafone Group.

The Deputy General Manager- Applications Store and Developer Program within the Vodafone Group, Karthik Srinivasan noted, "We recognise that huge app development talent exists in the emerging markets and in fact, only such developers can provide applications suitable for their respective markets. This competition is an effort to showcase the depth of that talent and give those developers a chance to benchmark themselves against regional peers.

About Safaricom Corporate
Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs 100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence.

Safaricom pioneered commercial mobile money transfer globally through M-PESA, the most successful such service anywhere in the world. Launched in March 2007 as a money transfer service, it now has over 15 million customers and over 37,000 Agent outlets countrywide.

The Sustainability Report is hinged on the 8 strategic pillars that cut across the regulatory environment, energy and network security, innovation, ethical supply chain conduct , corporate ethics, environmental impact and employee engagement..

SAFARICOM BECOMES FIRST TELECO IN EAST AFRICA TO LAUNCH SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

Nairobi, September 5th, 2012….Leading integrated communications company, Safaricom has today launched its first ever Sustainability Report, identifying major sustainability risks and detailing the proactive measures that the company is taking to ensure a better tomorrow for future generations.

The Sustainability Report is hinged on the 8 strategic pillars that cut across the regulatory environment, energy and network security, innovation, ethical supply chain conduct , corporate ethics, environmental impact and employee engagement..

Speaking during the launch the report, Chief Executive Officer Bob Collymore described the report as the most detailed in the East African region Kenya complying with the stringent standards set in the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and in line with requirements set by the UN Global Compact Board.

He went on to say ," We have taken the bold move to embrace sustainability reporting since we know business today has to move from just doing the right things to doing things the right way. We have taken a critical look at the impact of our actions and decisions on the economy, climate, political environment, social, governance and environmental ecosystem. This report is really is about our collective future."

Addressing the media at the same event, Safaricom Chairman Nicholas Ng'ang'a explained that with the launch of the report, " we are now making a commitment to shareholders, suppliers and customers alike, that we will safeguard the environment, adhere to ethical business practices, and embrace innovation in all of our activities".

He added that the Sustainability Report will also enhance the positioning of Safaricom in the investor market, making the company's shares attractive to global investors who place a premium on sustainable business practices.

With the launch of the report, Safaricom joins the ranks of companies such as Nation Media Group and KCB in Kenya and Vodafone, Coca-Cola, Adidas and British Petroleum at the international level.

-ENDS-

About Safaricom
Safaricom began its operations in October 2000 and has maintained its position as the leading mobile network operator in the region. In June 2008, it became the first publicly listed teleco in the country and it currently has a local shareholder base of over 716,000 (July 2012).

With a subscriber base of nearly 19.1 million (April 2012) and a subscriber market share of over 65 percent, Safaricom Ltd is Kenya's leading mobile telephone operator and the most profitable company in the region.
Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs 100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence.

Safaricom pioneered commercial mobile money transfer globally through M-PESA, the most successful such service anywhere in the world. Launched in March 2007 as a money transfer service, it now has over 15 million customers and over 37,000 Agent outlets countrywide.

August

SAFARICOM RESTORES MPESA SERVICES

Nairobi, 27th August 2012… Leading Integrated Communications service provider Safaricom would like to inform customers that the M-PESA service is now back to normal. This follows an M-PESA outage experienced from 10.00 am this morning.

Safaricom CEO, Bob Collymore has said, "I thank all our customers for their patience during the time of the outage and assure them all their funds remain safe."

For any inquiries or clarifications, customers and agents have been advised to call M-PESA customer support on 234 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Notes to the Editor
About Safaricom Corporate
Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs.100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence.

Safaricom pioneered commercial mobile money transfer globally through M-PESA, the most successful such service anywhere in the world. Launched in March 2007 as a money transfer service, it now has over 18 million customers and over 39,000 Agent outlets countrywide.

SAFARICOM INFORMS M-PESA CUSTOMERS OF SERVICE UNAVAILABILITY

Nairobi, 27th August 2012… Leading Integrated Communications service provider Safaricom regrets to inform its customers of an outage on the M-PESA service since 10.00 am this morning.

As a result of this, M-PESA customers are not able to access M-PESA services including sending money, depositing and withdrawals, ATM withdrawals, buying airtime, bank to M-PESA, pay bill and buy goods as well as web transactions.

Expressing regret over this outage, Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore said, "Our technical team is working around the clock to ensure that the service is operational within the shortest time possible. We would also like to assure all our M -PESA customers that their money is safe."

For any inquiries or clarifications, customers and agents have been advised to call M-PESA customer support on 234 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Notes to the Editor

About Safaricom Corporate
Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs.100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence.

SAFARICOM, MOA TO LAUNCH MULTI-SECTORAL ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN

Leading Integrated communications service provider Safaricom, has partnered with the Media Owners Association (MOA) to form the National Road Safety Trust. The Trust will spearhead a countrywide road safety initiative to address the alarmingly high rates of road carnage. The trust brings together government, private sector and civil society in a collaborative endeavour to address various factors that have contributed to increased incidences of traffic related injuries and fatalities.

During a stakeholder workshop to discuss a roadmap for the Trust, the campaign champions announced that they are planning a formal launch later in the month and that they have requested the President to serve as the Trust's patron.

A nine member Board of Trustees comprising representatives from Safaricom, the Media Owners Association, the police, the government, various road safety stakeholders, and other private sector players will coordinate the activities of the Trust with Trustees holding office for a 2 year renewable tenure.

The National Road Safety Trust objectives include advocating for sound road safety behaviour and initiating sustainable road safety and traffic campaigns alongside advancing road safety educational program.

Safaricom CEO and Trust Co-Founder, Bob Collymore noted that despite a rise in the number of road accidents, not enough has been done to address the problem, "Road accidents claim 10 people a day, yet we are not giving this problem the same focus as we give terror related activities that kill 30-40 annually."

"One of the most powerful legacies of this government is infrastructural development. Kenyans however lack the requisite education on how to deal with the same infrastructure. Public education and awareness creation will therefore play a big role in mitigating the rising cases of road accidents particularly on the Thika Super Highway," said Kiprono Kittony, Media Owners Association.

The Media Owners Association, a key partner in this initiative, have committed dedicated print and electronic coverage for the duration of the campaign as support for the Road Safety initiative. Wachira Waruru an MOA official said, "This is a matter of life and death and we therefore need to embrace this intervention in order to save lives. On behalf of the Media Owners Association, I would like to assure you that we will deploy all our resources in order to make this campaign a success."

THE END

About Safaricom Corporate

Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs 100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence.

Safaricom pioneered pioneered commercial mobile money transfer globally through M-PESA, the most successful such service anywhere in the world. Launched in March 2007 as a money transfer service, it now has over 15 million customers and over 37,000 Agent outlets countrywide.

About the National Road Safety Trust

This is a multisectoral Trust that will comprise the government, private sector and the media.

Duly registered in August 2012, the Trust was formed to facilitate national action on reducing fatalities and injuries on Kenyan roads.

Key Objects and Purpose of the Trust include:

• Improve road safety and advocate for sound road safety behaviour
• Initiate and support sustainable road safety and traffic initiatives
• Advance road safety education and carry out public campaigns for road safety education, awareness and training
• Coordinate and advance road safety educational programmes

It will have nine members including Safaricom and Media Owners Association. Trust membership will reflect diversity of the transport sector, private and public sector, geographic and gender representation. Duration of office for the Trustees shall be two years, renewable for a further two year term.

The State of Kenyan roads

An average of 30 road accidents is reported every day. Official records also show that an estimated 3,000 people die annually which is grossly underestimated and focuses on deaths reported on site and not those that happen en route to or in hospital.

Generally low levels of adherence to road traffic rules by PSVs, and the influx of "boda bodas" has worsened the situation.

The cause of most road accidents is behavioural - careless driving, drunk driving and visual impairment. A study done by Kenyatta National Hospital reveals that 55% of road users have poor eyesight and should not be driving at night. Other causes are weather and road obstructions, poor roads, un-roadworthy vehicles and over-speeding.

The year to date has seen an unprecedented amount of road accidents, and deaths, particularly on the new highways. There is limited capacity for first aid, and or emergency response to road traffic accidents, particularly outside of main cities and towns

Public hospitals strained in terms of resources to respond to road accidents. KNH CEO states that the hospital spends Kshs.10 million a week to treat accident victims and in one recent weekend, KNH received 40 accident victims, and 216 people over a 3 week period

STAR STUDDED CAST FOR SAFARICOM SEVENS 2012

A star studded Samurai side comprising 6 All Black players and the Fijian captain, and rugby Legend Jonah Lomu are among those expected in this year's Safaricom Sevens which will take place between the 21st and 23rd of September at the more spacious and better equipped Nyayo Stadium.
So far, ten teams have confirmed their participation in the Safaricom 7s and these are: Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Uganda, South Africa Sevens Academy (Emerging Boks), Shujaa, Grenoble, British Army and Samurai.

In 2010, leading integrated communications provider, Safaricom Limited's entered into a 3 year deal to become the prestigious tournament's title sponsor. This year, the company has set aside Kshs. 32.6 million to facilitate a successful tournament.

"As one of Africa's premier Sevens tournament, the Safaricom Sevens is on every rugby fan's diary as a must attend event. As title sponsors, we are working closely with Kenya Rugby Union to raise the standards of this event so that we can finally realise the dream of being incorporated into the IRB circuit," said Nzioka Waita, Director – Corporate Affairs.

"We are therefore calling on the government to support this tournament because incorporation into the IRB circuit would boost Kenya's Sports Tourism drive," he added.

The organisers of the 17th Edition of the premier rugby tournament have stated that the decision to return the tournament to Nyayo stadium was informed by positive feedback from rugby fans. The venue has been hailed for its enhanced seating capacity and easy accessibility from as being secure and accessible from various points of Nairobi.

In addition, tournament organisers are in talks with rugby legend and former New Zealand great, Jonah Lomu to have him grace the event as the guest of honour.
"In the time that this tournament has been in existence, we have seen the Safaricom Sevens grow in leaps and bounds. Our goal ultimate goal is to get admission into the IRB series while at the same time ensuring that our fans have a great experience," said Mwangi Muthee, KRU chairman.

"This year's tournament will also provide fans with the chance to see a revamped Kenyan national team begin the quest for glory ahead of the 2012-2013 international sevens season, whose highlight will be the Rugby World Cup Sevens to be held in Russia," added Mr. Muthee.
In keeping with tradition, tournament organizers have also scheduled subsidiary tournaments for schools, women and community rugby which is in line with Safaricom's and KRU's vision of spreading the game to a wider populace

THE END

About Safaricom Corporate
Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs 100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence.
Safaricom pioneered commercial mobile money transfer globally through M-PESA, the most successful such service anywhere in the world. Launched in March 2007 as a money transfer service, it now has over 15 million customers and over 37,000 Agent outlets countrywide.

About Safaricom Sports
Safaricom has had a longstanding tradition of sponsoring major sports events in the country.
In 2008, the company offered cash incentives for the Olympics team and the Paralympics teams as motivation for a good performance. The telecoms company was the major sponsor of the 2010 African Athletics Championships, which were the first ever to take place in Kenya.
Safaricom is also a major sponsor of the Sportsman of the Year Award-SOYA which honors excellence in athletics. The company is also associated with many local races both at the national and community level.

About Safaricom Sevens
The Safari Sevens, known as the Safaricom Sevens after main sponsors Safaricom is an annual rugby sevens tournament held in Kenya. The tournament is run by the Kenya Rugby Football Union. The competition is promoted as being Africa's premier rugby sevens tournament drawing crowds of over 20,000 to the weekend event.

SAFARICOM ANNOUNCES REWARD KITTY FOR THE 2012 PARALYMPICS TEAM

Nairobi, August 1, 2012… Leading integrated communications services provider Safaricom Ltd has become the first corporate to announce a cash jackpot for a podium finish in this year's Paralympics games which kick off in London on the 29th of August.

At a luncheon hosted at the Michael Joseph Centre and graced by H.E. The Vice President and Minister for Home Affairs, the Hon. Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka , Safaricom confirmed that it will award Kshs. 1 million for gold medalists, Kshs. 600,000 for silver medalists and Kshs.300, 000 for bronze medal winners.

This is the 3rd time the Kenyan team is taking part following its debut in the 2004 Athens Paralympics. This year's Paralympics event will kick off in London at the tail end of the Summer Olympics event and will continue through to the 9th of September. Kenya will be represented by 14 athletes and 7 guides who will include world celebrated and triple world record holder Henry Wanyoike who will be going for glory in the 10,000 metres and marathon events.

Speaking at the event, Safaricom Chief Executive Officer Bob Collymore said that the award scheme was mooted to motivate great performance at the London event. "Today we meet yet again to celebrate the men and women who invest a substantial amount of their time and energy, training in their respective athletic disciplines to bring pride to the country," he added.

Safaricom has over the years forged a strong a good partnership with the Paralympics team whose key highlight include a Kshs. 12.8 million award to the Beijing Paralympics medalists in 2008. Collymore noted that Safaricom was confident that the team will perform even better in this year's event in keeping with a gallant track record first established at the Athens Paralympics games.

On his part, the Vice President and patron of the Kenya Paralympics Association, Kalonzo Musyoka called for more recognition for the Paralympians whom he felt have been overshadowed by the main Olympics team.
He said in his address to the team, "As you board that flight to London; you are going not just as individuals but as representatives of this country. Remember that the aspirations and dreams of many Kenyan men and women rest with you. Therefore, as you get onto that track or that field, though you may not see us or hear us, I can assure we will be cheering you on as you fly the Kenyan flag high." ….ENDS

Notes to the editors:

About Safaricom Corporate
Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Kshs 100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence.
Safaricom pioneered commercial mobile money transfer globally through M-PESA, the most successful such service anywhere in the world. Launched in March 2007 as a money transfer service, it now has over 18 million customers and over 37,000 Agent outlets countrywide.

About Safaricom Sports
Safaricom has had a longstanding tradition of sponsoring major sports events in the country.
In 2008, the company offered cash incentives for the Olympics team and the Paralympics teams as motivation for a good performance. The telecoms company was the major sponsor of the 2010 African Athletics Championships, which were the first ever to take place in Kenya.
Safaricom is also a major sponsor of the Sportsman of the Year Award-SOYA which honors excellence in athletics. The company is also associated with many local races both at the national and community level.

June

SAFARICOM OFFERS 10 MILLION JACKPOT FOR OLYMPICS MEDALISTS

27th June 2012…Leading integrated communications provider, Safaricom Limited has announced a 10 million shilling jackpot for the Olympics team which will include cash prizes for medal winners.

In the scheme, Gold medalists will take home KSh1million, Silver medalists KSh0.6 million while Bronze medalists will be awarded KSh0.3 million. Further, any team that registers a clean sweep of the Gold, Silver and Bronze at the podium in the Olympics will receive 1 million shillings each, making it the most attractive jackpot in Kenya's history.

Safaricom has presented each member of the team with a Samsung Galaxy Pocket and airtime worth Kes.10,000 each, as they prepare to leave the country for the pre-Olympics training camp in the UK.

Speaking at a dinner event organised in honour of the Olympics team, Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore noted the special role Kenyan athletes play in promoting the country at home and abroad.

"2012 is a watershed year for Kenya, where as a nation we sit on the cusp of political change under a new constitutional dispensation as we challenge ourselves to exorcise the ghosts of the 2002 Election. This team therefore carries our individual and national dreams and aspirations for a brighter, more optimistic and more Kenyan future and this is what we as Safaricom are here to celebrate," said Mr. Collymore.

"This is also a great year technologically where the athletes can use technology to share their London experience with their fans by documenting every moment and every win through their phones, on Twitter and Facebook. Kenyans will be joining the global audience digitally on their TV stations, on their phones and on the Go and we are excited that on our platform we will give Kenyans a first row experience to the greatest show on earth," added Mr. Collymore.

During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Kenyan team posted an impressive performance bringing home 14 medals including six gold and the first ever marathon gold. Expectations are high that this year, said Collymore, Kenya will perform better than it did in the last Olympics.

"Looking at the names and records of some the athletes representing Kenya in London such as David Rudisha, Vivian Cheruiyot, Mary Kaittany, Pamela Jelimo and Jason Dunford, one gets the sense that we are sending, easily one of our strongest squads to the Olympics in recent times and I therefore believe that the London Olympics will be the best event for Kenya yet," added Mr. Collymore.

Sports Minister Dr. Paul Otuoma lauded the support that corporate organizations have given to the Olympics team so far.

"The value of the support that we are receiving from corporate organizations like Safaricom and indeed from individuals is not just monetary; it is psychological. This support is what motivates our athletes to perform well and bring the medals home," he said.

Besides the cash award scheme, Safaricom has also offered its sms platform to support a fundraising appeal by the National Olympic Committee for the team. The appeal which was launched on Madaraka Day takes the form of an SMS sent to 5055 at a cost of KSh10. All funds raised from this appeal will be directed towards the national team and Safaricom will therefore not make any revenue from the campaign.

"Since Kenya started participating in the Olympics in 1956, our athletes have turned Kenya into an Olympics powerhouse by continuously dominating the middle and long distance races. In all this time, Kenya's support for our athletes has never been in doubt. Indeed, athletics indisputably epitomizes our patriotism. I would therefore like to urge Kenyans both individual and corporate, to rally behind our team as we work to ensure that we bring home, our biggest Olympic medal haul yet," said NOCK Chairman Kipchoge Keino.

The team travelling to the UK was formally announced on 23rd June 2012, paving way for a residential camp that began on 25th of June 2012. The team will then depart for Bristol for further training during the first week of July ahead of the start of the Games on the 27th of July.

Notes to the editors:

About Safaricom Corporate
Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Ksh100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence.

About Safaricom Sports
Safaricom has had a longstanding tradition of sponsoring major sports events in the country.

In 2008, the company offered cash incentives for the Olympics team and the Paralympics teams as motivation for a good performance. The telecoms company was the major sponsor of the 2010 African Athletics Championships, which were the first ever to take place in Kenya.
Safaricom is also a major sponsor of the Sportsman of the Year Award-SOYA which honors excellence in athletics. The company is also associated with many local races both at the national and community level.

Huawei Partners with Safaricom and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy for the Safaricom Marathon 2012

Nairobi, Kenya, 27th June 2012: Huawei, a leading global Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services provider today, contributed USD 100,000 or the equivalent of KSh8.4 million towards the 2012 edition of the annual Safaricom Marathon.

The company has also taken four sponsorships categories in the marathon amounting to Ksh2.2 million, with 3 teams from Huawei participating in the half marathon corporate category.

The Safaricom marathon is regarded as the most challenging in the world. During his address at the cheque handover ceremony, Safaricom CEO Mr. Bob Collymore Said, "I would like to thank our strategic partner's Huawei, for coming on board once again to support this worthy cause; this is a testimony of their reliability in and out of business. Safaricom will continue its commitment to support this initiative in the years to come."

Collymore further added that the marathon which is regarded as the most challenging in the world is not only a great platform to connect with Safaricom's customers, but a wonderful opportunity to support deserving communities.

"The objective has always been to raise funds. A few years ago, the marathon was close to becoming just a fun event and people forgot that first and foremost it was supposed to be a fundraising event. So we repackaged the whole experience to ensure that people do raise the money," he says, "It's a great event, people come and have a lovely weekend, and the fact that we can do it with our customers and our subscribers makes it even better. We get to be part of a big family that is doing something for the wider good."

"The Safaricom marathon is a special event for us at Huawei, and we always look forward to this time of the year to run, and make a difference in the lives of the people of Lewa," said Mr. Wind Li, CEO of Huawei in Kenya. "Our company is keen on pushing the education/ knowledge transfer agenda in both curriculum and infrastructure development, as well as environmental conservation in Africa which the Safaricom marathon stands for." Huawei has participated in the marathon for the last 5 years with 3 corporate teams each year. The company has won the Lewa Trophy for the Highest Fundraiser Corporate category twice in 2009 and 2010.

The Safaricom Marathon has raised over two million dollars for education, community development, health and wildlife conservation projects, since its inception in 2000.

Proceeds from each year's marathon are invested in a wide range of projects benefiting sustainable development, education, healthcare, and wildlife, with an aim to balance the needs of rural communities with the objective of preserving Kenya's unique natural heritage for future generations.

This year, crowds and athletes will participate in the 13th edition of the Safaricom Marathon in Lewa which is built on the rich legacy of charity and community development that has been nurtured over the past 13 years.
The 13th edition of the marathon will be held on the 30th of June, 2012 with the theme 'Run Wild , for the Wild'.

- Ends-

About Safaricom Marathon
The Safaricom Marathon is regarded as one of the toughest marathons in the world. However, runners of all abilities take part, from fun runners, walkers and amateurs, to professionals.
The event is run through some of Kenya's most beautiful scenery. Mount Kenya lies to the south and there are breath-taking views north towards Samburu and Mount Lololokwe. The heavily protected 65,000 acre wildlife sanctuary is home to over 100 rhino, herds of elephant and a vast assortment of plains game including zebra, giraffe, buffalo and much more.
For more information, please visit www.safaricom.co.ke

About Huawei
Huawei is a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider. Through our dedication to customer-centric innovation and strong partnerships, we have established end-to-end advantages in telecom networks, devices and cloud computing. We are committed to creating maximum value for telecom operators, enterprises and consumers by providing competitive solutions and services. Our products and solutions have been deployed in over 140 countries, serving more than one third of the world's population.

For more information, visit Huawei online: www.huawei.com
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/huaweipress and YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/HuaweiPress

SAFARICOM/HUAWEI LAUNCH IDEOS ASCEND Y100

26th June 2012… Leading integrated communications provider, Safaricom limited has today entered into an exclusive deal with Huawei, a leading global Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services provider to sell the newly launched Ideos Ascend Y-100 at the affordable Ksh8 499. The Ideos Ascend Y 100 is an entry level smart phone and is a successor to the hugely popular Ideos U8150 which was launched in February last year.

The phone will be available in 3 colours, Black, White and Pink. Customers will also get a one off 1.5 GB data offer valid for 90 days, airtime worth KSh1000 , 7 days unlimited SMS and a 2GB SD card.

Hailed by analysts as one of the smallest smart phones in the market, the Ideos Ascend Y 100 operates the Android Gingerbread 2.3 operating system which makes the phone faster to use and more power efficient providing users with a smooth surfing experience.

"In line with our vision to democratise data across this country, we are offering the Ideos Ascend Y-100 which will allow consumers to enjoy all the capabilities of a smartphone such as android operating system, high processing speeds, Wi-Fi and hotspot connectivity in style and at an affordable price," said Peter Arina, GM-Safaricom's Consumer Business Unit.

Over 210,000 Ideos U8150 were sold in Kenya making it the highest grossing smartphone in the country. Mr. Arina noted that the success of the Ideos U8150 had served to confirm that there exists in the Kenyan data market a gaping need for quality, affordable devices that will enhance the customer's data experience. "Last year, Safaricom made a brave move when we decided to subsidize smartphones in a bid to make it affordable to the masses. This move resulted in Android phones taking a foothold as the smartphone of choice in Kenya. As a result, we have seen a marked increase in internet usage and 3G utilization over the last year and to date Ideos users use internet the most in comparison to other handset users," he added.

The IDEOS brought home the reality of internet access on a mobile device for the middle class and to the majority of buyers: students, who previously found smartphone prices high and inaccessible. Two years on, Kenyan's have joined the smart phone revolution thanks to fair pricing and subsequent affordability for the target market.

"Huawei is a leading global solutions provider that works towards user experience in the digital era. Through continuous customer-centric innovation, Huawei responds quickly to customers' needs with a comprehensive, customized set of offerings, with a vision to enrich life through communication. This new IDEOS is testimony to this commitment", said Huawei's CEO, Mr. Wind Li.

He added that the company is keen on making strategic investments towards driving advancement into an innovative, digital and knowledge-led economy in the countries it operates, and this can only be achieved through smart devices such as the Ideos Ascend Y 100. The company in addition plans to bring to Kenya this year the Honor smartphone and the Mediapad tablet.

The Ideos Ascend Y 100 boasts a 3.2 megapixel camera to capture both photos and video at a quality 30 frames per second, which is the equivalent of a standard camcorder. The phone offers fast mobile internet (up to 7.2 Mbps on the downlink) and fast Wi-Fi 'n' so you can upload and share your photos and videos with friends via social networking sites.
----------------------
About Safaricom Limited

Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Ksh100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence.

About Huawei Device

Huawei Device believes that everyone can be the center of information and that the world would be a better place if access and information barriers were knocked down. Its strong suite of mobile phones, mobile broadband devices and home devices is testimony to Huawei Device's focus on customers and its commitment to providing user-friendly mobile internet experiences through ongoing innovation. Based on more than two decades of success in the information and communications industry, and with our own channel expertise, operational capabilities and global partner resources, Huawei Device is transforming from a company that sells millions of devices in single transactions to large businesses, to a "Business-to-People" (B2P) brand that also sells individual devices directly to millions of people. As at the end of 2011, Huawei Device serves more than 500 operators all over the world. For more information, visit Huawei Device online: www.huaweidevice.com

For more information, contact:
Victoria Kaigai,
Head of Corporate Communications,
Safaricom Limited
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Follow us on Twitter: @SafaricomLtd

Mumbi Karanja <br>Silver Bullet PR <br>Tel: 020 2348076 /81 <br>Cell: 0753 888 369 <br>E-mail: <a href="mailto: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. " data-mce-href="mailto: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. "> This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. </a>

STATEMENT FROM SAFARICOM LIMITED ON THE 3839 SHORT CODE

June 14th 2012… Leading integrated communications provider, Safaricom Limited has with immediate effect terminated its contract with licensed Content Service Provider Datalex.

This follows internal investigations arising from complaints by The National Alliance party (TNA) that people masquerading as party officials were using the short code to defraud innocent people of their money. Safaricom has also indicated that it has referred the matter to industry regulator CCK to take action against the potential breach of license conditions and of statutory obligations by Datalex which offers a regulated service.

The short code 3839 was registered to Datalex, a Content Service Provider licensed by CCK in 2009 to provide job alert services. Under the terms of service with Safaricom, Datalex is not allowed to send political messages to subscribers and their actions therefore constitute a material breach of contract.

"As we approach the General Election, we will institute clear guidelines for political messaging to ensure that there is no recurrence of this unfortunate episode. We will also exercise zero tolerance for any of our partners found guilty of any such abuse of our Short Code Services," said Bob Collymore, CEO Safaricom Limited.

SAFARICOM ANNOUNCES 5 MILLIONSPONSORSHIP FOR DIABETES WALK

6th June 2012.. Leading integrated communications company, Safaricom Limited has today announced a KSh5 million sponsorship for this year's Diabetes walk slated to take place on the 7th of July and Mombasa on the 21st of the same month. Safaricom is sponsoring this event for the 7th year with the organisers hoping to raise Ksh12 million.

The Diabetes Management and Information Centre (DMI) has organised the walk to raise funds for the supply of free insulin to economically disadvantaged children and to create awareness around diabetes.

Kenya has an estimated diabetes prevalence rate of 4.5% which is about 1.8 million people and is predicted to rise to 5.4% by 2025. In addition, the number of juvenile diabetes incidents is on the rise with a reported prevalence range of between 2.7% in the rural groups and 12.7% in urban areas.

These statistics, says Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore, should be a cause for concern, "The emotional and economic burden that juvenile diabetes places on families can be overwhelming. Yet with proper information, this condition is both manageable and preventable. Our support for this initiative is therefore an acknowledgement of the important role DMI is playing in sensitizing the public on what I believe is one of the most understated yet devastating diseases," said Mr. Collymore.

The Executive Director of Kenya Diabetes Management Institute Ms. Eva Muchemi noted the detrimental role lack of access due to high costs plays in the fight against diabetes.

"Lack of access to insulin due to high costs remains the most common cause of death in children with diabetes. The cost remains as high as KSh1,800 in private pharmacies whereas in public hospitals where the cost is between Kes.200 and Kes.500, there is a serious shortage. Insulin is a lifesaving drug and the Centre's long term plan is to establish a fund which will assist with subsidized insulin for everybody below 25 years," said Ms. Muchemi.

Every 10 seconds a person dies from diabetes-related complications in the world. As of 2011, there were an estimated 385 million people with diabetes globally. Of this, 80% live in low-income and middle income countries. It is estimated that diabetes kills as many as 3.5 million people every year-as many people as does HIV/AIDS, moreover, the burden of diabetes is on the increase in developing economies.

The Diabetes Walk is an annual event hosted by the Diabetes Management Institute to raise funds that help in sustaining the insulin bank for children below 18 years of age who are unable to purchase insulin, create awareness and training on diabetes. The Centre has been holding the diabetes walk since 2001. Safaricom Ltd has been sponsoring the walk since 2005. The walk targets school children and members of the public.

-ENDS-

About Safaricom

Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms. With annual revenues in excess of Ksh100 billion, it is Kenya's widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence.

About DMI

The Kenya Diabetes Management & Information Centre (DMI Centre) is a not-for-profit registered medical charity founded in May 1999, with the aim to educate the public about diabetes due to the alarm raised by the International Diabetes Federation and practising diabetologists about the global rising numbers of people diagnosed with the condition.

One of its core aims is to develop a comprehensive diabetes education programme which will help to improve the understanding of diabetes and create more public awareness on diagnosis, care, control and predisposing factors.

The Centre in partnership with various organisations and corporate entities has undertaken various community-based activities since inception. These are promoted in areas with great need, sometimes way out of the main town centres where such services are most appreciated. The bulk of the activities is prevention, both primary and secondary and for the diabetics, good management to avoid complications. In the areas covered, new cases have been diagnosed, some being admitted as emergencies. Through the free screening camps, data collected so far indicates that the biggest percentage of those diagnosed has been in the last five years (44.5%).

The Centre has been holding the diabetes walk since 2001.Safaricom Ltd has been sponsoring the walk since 2005. There is a great hype for 1-2 months preceding the Walk and targeted groups and education institutions are visited and talks given.

Funds raised helps in sustaining the insulin bank for children below 18 years of age who are unable to purchase insulin throughout the country, create awareness and training on diabetes.

May

FKF DEMANDS FORCES SAFARICOM TO CANCEL SAKATA BALL SEASON 3

Thursday, May 31st 2012…Leading integrated communications service provider Safaricom Limited has announced the cancellation of the launch of its eagerly anticipated Safaricom Sakata Ball Season 3 which was scheduled to take place on Thursday 31st May, 2012.

This follows a last minute move by the national football governing body, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to impose new requirements on the running of the event through a letter to event organizers dated 30th May 2012. In its letter to Safaricom, the FKF demanded to be paid 20% of the total sponsorship cost of the Sakata Ball tournament as administration fees half of which was to be paid prior to its launch, failing which it would disown the event.

Expressing disappointment over the turn of events, Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore stated, "We have been holding discussions with FKF for the last four months and we have written commitments from them expressing their support for this event and our contribution to local football development generally including the possibility of sponsoring FKF leagues in future. It is therefore a painful decision for us to cancel the launch, but a necessary one in the context of the unreasonable demands that have been placed on us."

The Safaricom Sakata Ball Challenge was first launched in 2010 as a boys' only tournament. In 2011, the tournament incorporated girls' teams becoming the only football youth tournament in the country to do so. During the same year, Safaricom Limited entered into a partnership with the UNICEF sponsored National Youth Talent Academy. Today, ex-Sakata players comprise 90% of the U 20 girls' football team while others like Abdi Malik have played for both the U-20 team and Harambee Stars.

TEAMS Cable Cut Repairs Completed On 17th May 2012

MOMBASA, 17th May 2012... Repair works on the TEAMS (The East African Marine Systems) Cable that was damaged on 26th April 2012 have now been completed. The cable cut which occurred at the Kenyan coast damaged a crucial link for the bulk of internet and international voice traffic in the region.

The repair works were successfully completed by a team of experts from France Telecom Marine Services at 4:00pm on 17th May 2012.

Commenting on the repairs work, TEAMS General Manager Joel Tanui said, "This second cut was due to the multiple damages inflicted on the TEAMS undersea cable by a port dredging ship in February this year. In this instance we had to engage professional divers to ensure that all the damaged portions of the cable were properly replaced. In order to reduce the down time of the cable the TEAMS Cable consortium constituting both the Kenyan shareholders and UAE's Etisalat made a decision to secure an cable repair ship from France Telecom Marine Services, as all the cable ships for our undersea maintenance company E-Marine were tied up with the repairs of other damaged cables (EASSY, EIG, SMW3,). The repair cable ship arrived in Mombasa on 12th May 2012 and started the repair work the following day".

TEAMS Board Chairman, Bob Collymore said, "We are deeply grateful for the patience that our shareholders and customers have shown during this time. The TEAMS board is now considering taking additional measures to guarantee the stability of the cable system by splitting the cable in the deep sea so as to have two separate landing points that will serve to mitigate the risks associated with the current Mombasa landing point. "

It is estimated that the repairs of the cable, including costs for temporary traffic restoration via other cables during the TEAMS cable outage is about USD 3 Million (Ksh250 Million), excluding loss of business as a result of heavily constrained bandwidth supply to contracted customers.

A landmark public-private partnership, TEAMS is the premier undersea cable system serving the entire East African region. Besides the Government of Kenya, the other shareholders in the TEAMS consortium include Safaricom, Jamii Telecom, Wananchi Group, Essar Kenya, Kenya Data Networks, Access Kenya, Telkom Orange and Bandwidth & Cloud Services.

Safaricom Business Customers Experiencing Data Outage

May 9th 2012…Leading Integrated Communications service provider Safaricom Limited this afternoon announced that it was experiencing a major enterprise data service outage.

The outage which commenced yesterday evening has been traced to a technical fault in the routing systems. The company has advised customers that its engineers are currently working with its technology partners to restore services.

The enterprise data service outage affects primarily Safaricom's business customers nationwide who rely on fixed data services either on fibre optic or WiMax for their connectivity requirements.

Safaricom CEO, Bob Collymore while regretting the outage assured affected customers that, "all our efforts are currently focused on ensuring that the services are back up and running in the shortest time possible." Safaricom clarified that the enterprise data outage does not affect its mobile data users on 3G mobile handsets and modems in any way.

For more information, contact: Victoria Kaigai, Head of Corporate Communications, Safaricom Limited Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Follow Us On Twitter : @SafaricomLtd

April

Safaricom Set To Discontinue The Sale Of Unlimited Internet Data Bundles

Nairobi, 30th April 2012- Leading integrated communications service provider, Safaricom Limited has today announced that it will, from midnight tonight, discontinue the sale of its Unlimited data bundle product.

The unlimited data bundles, launched last year by Safaricom are designed for Mobile broadband users on their 3G handsets or 3G enabled modems to access unlimited Internet for a set duration of time such as the daily, weekly and monthly variations.

When commenting on the review, Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore indicated that this decision was arrived at after a careful analysis of consumer trends. "As a business, we have found it necessary to focus our energies on providing quality data access to the majority of our internet users. This means that we have to sacrifice the provision of our unlimited bandwidth to a minority whose usage has had a negative impact on the overall data experience."

Mr. Collymore also noted that, "It has always been our position that unlimited internet offerings are better suited for a fixed broadband services such as fibre or WiMax. Since mobile broadband on 3G is designed as a shared resource, the greater the number of internet users at any point in time, the higher the levels of degradation in the quality of service."

Safaricom however reassured its data customers that it will shortly be offering new internet packages to cater for its high volume usage internet customers.

Customers who may have purchased any unlimited data bundle on or before tonight's deadline will enjoy the full use of the purchased bundle for the duration of its validity.

Last month, Safaricom became the first mobile service provider in Kenya to launch the 42 Mbps 3G speeds in selected sites around Nairobi. Safaricom currently holds the position of widest and fastest Internet coverage in the coverage with a customer base of over 5 million internet customers.

Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore Appointed To UN Body

19.04.2012…The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has today announced the appointment of Safaricom's CEO Bob Collymore to the United Nations Global Compact Board. This is seen as recognition of Safaricom's commitment to environmental, sustainability and anti-corruption issues as well as the work it is undertaking to address the Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 on maternal health and child mortality.

The United Nations Global Compact is a voluntary UN initiative that encourages businesses globally to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies. The body which is the world's largest corporate citizenship initiative encourages corporate support for Millennium Development Goals and corporate adherence to human rights, good labour practices, support for the environment and anti-corruption. The Board is chaired by the UN Secretary General a provides high level strategic advice relating to the UN Global Compact and at a more general level, the evolving United Nations-Business relationship.

Mr. Collymore who will serve as an honorary board member for a 3 year term said, "As Safaricom, we feel it is important for companies to report on their operations from a holistic perspective and to report on their sustainability credentials. Corporate governance and ethics are a key factor that underpins a company's reputation,"

Last year, Collymore made a presentation before the UN General Assembly on the Secretary General's Every Woman Every Child Initiative where he highlighted Safaricom's commitment to improve maternal health and reduce child mortality using mobile technology.

Through partnerships with the Government of Kenya and non-profit organizations, the company which has made a commitment to the global strategy for Every Woman Every Child has been able to use technology to improve healthcare.

"In Kenya we have one doctor for every 10,000 patients. Bearing in mind that we have more than 25 million mobile phones and less than 450 hospitals, it goes without saying that mobile technology should be used to create effective solutions for our healthcare challenges. We realize that as a telecommunications company, the use of mobile technology for health purposes can revolutionise society's ability to deliver, access and use health information to promote health, fight disease and respond to medical emergencies," added Collymore who is also currently serving as a Commissioner on a UN Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children that is co-chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria and Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg of Norway.

Safaricom is a signatory to the UN Global Compact and is one of the first Kenyan corporates to sign up for the Code of Ethics of Business in Kenya. The company is also in the process of developing its first Sustainability Report which will be an audit of the company's corporate governance practices.

About the UN Global Compact Board The purpose of the UN Global Compact Board is to provide high-level strategic advice relating to the UN Global Compact and the evolving United Nations-Business relationship more generally.

Drawing in particular on the expertise and recommendations of its business members, the Board also oversees implementation of the Global Compact's integrity measures. Members are appointed by the Secretary General on recommendations from the board Nominating Committee, based on input from the Global Compact Office.

The board is comprised of 30 members as follows:

at least ten of whom have extensive business experience
at least four members will have experience from global civil society organizations, one each from the areas of human rights, environment, anti-corruption and development; and
two members will have labour experience and be nominated by the global trade union movement

Nominees for Board Membership should:

have a deep understanding of the UN Global Compact and its ten principles;
have the respect and confidence of their peers and constituencies (if relevant);
be committed, and have time, to actively participate in the activities of the Board;
hold or have recently held leadership positions (Chairperson, Chief Executive or other equivalent role) in companies or other organizations.

About Safaricom's health solutions:

Safaricom supports the Kenya Integrated Mobile Maternal Newborn and Child Health Information Platform which is a partnership with The Kenyan Ministry of Health, World Vision, AMREF, Care, NetHope and other NGOs. Its specific objective is to reduce the maternal mortality rate and the mortality rate of children under five.

Safaricom also offers solutions that range from SMS reminders to monitoring and tracking the mothers and children via a mobile interface carried out by community health workers.

We have also started a convenient outpatient savings scheme that enables mothers to save up for their antenatal and postnatal care via M-PESA, our groundbreaking mobile money transfer service.

We are partnering with insurance companies to develop this into a full in-patient insurance scheme – people will be able to pay as little as five cents a day to receive full cover.

We are also partnering with the Ministry of Health to create a mobile phone-based fund management solution which will address a challenge many healthcare workers in remote areas in Kenya face which is the need for quick access to funds and timely feedback in order to run their healthcare facilities smoothly.

Safaricom and Qualcomm Launch the Safaricom 3G Experiential Tour

— Unique Roadshow to Visit Major Cities and Locations Across Kenya, Showcasing Next-generation 3G Services and Devices —

NAIROBI, KENYA — April 11, 2012 — Safaricom and Qualcomm announced today the launch of a one-of-a-kind 'experiential tour' for 3G products and services in Kenya. The Safaricom 3G Experiential Tour will take place from April 14 – June 31. This road show will allow consumers to test-drive 3G devices and experience rich content and speedy Internet access enabled by 3G-enabled mobile Smartphones, PCs and laptops.

"Safaricom is committed to offering our customers the latest services and high-speed mobile data connectivity," said Bob Collymore, CEO of Safaricom. "We are passionate about growing our data services, especially with 3G. The Safaricom 3G Experiential Tour showcases the latest generation of Safaricom's mobile services and the most advanced Smartphones based on Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors. It truly is an exciting mobile computing experience, and we look forward to sharing it with our customers live and in-person."

The road show will take the form of two vans custom-built as 'Mobile Experience Centres.' The road show vans have been fitted with 32-inch screens and laptops with dongles for users to try out 3G services. There will also be a number of live demonstrations of Smartphones using Qualcomm's Snapdragon™ processors, enabling users to do everything from social networking, and HD video to speedy Web browsing and running the latest apps seamlessly. The tour will take place throughout Nairobi, Mombasa, Thika, Nakuru and Kisumu and will visit areas with heavy human traffic including malls, sporting events and universities.

"We are glad to be collaborating with Safaricom on this unique initiative to create awareness of 3G services and the benefits it offers to consumers," said Billy Owino, director of East Africa operations at Qualcomm. "About 95 percent of Kenya's Internet users access the Internet on mobile networks. Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors sharpen this experience by enabling users to do more and recharge less, so they can spend more time watching videos, downloading music, playing games and interacting with friends via social networks."

Consumers will be delighted to experience the exhilaration of mobile computing with Smartphones based on Qualcomm's Snapdragon processor. The Snapdragon processor combines the best elements of a PC, TV and gaming console to provide a quick, smooth, visually stunning and responsive mobile computing experience. Additionally, consumers visiting the experiential vans will have a chance to win Safaricom pre-paid airtime and Internet data bundles though on-the-spot raffles. There will also be a variety of Safaricom and Snapdragon branded giveaways for those who pass by the Mobile Experience Centres.

About Safaricom Safaricom provides a comprehensive range of services under one roof. This includes mobile and fixed voice and data services on a variety of platforms.

It is Kenya's widest and only 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WiMax presence.

Safaricom also pioneered commercial mobile money transfer globally through M-PESA, the most successful such service anywhere in the world. Safaricom's distribution network consists of over 35 retail shops and over 35,000 agent outlets countrywide.

About Qualcomm Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is the world leader in 3G and next-generation mobile technologies. For more than 25 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visit Qualcomm's website, OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages.

Qualcomm is a registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Safaricom Contact: Victoria Kaigai. Head of PR & Corporate Communications Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Qualcomm Contacts Dan Album, Corporate Communications Phone: 1-858-845-5959 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Warren Kneeshaw, Investor Relations Phone: 1-858-658-4813 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Change of Plans for Mombasa Groove Tour with SKIZA

The Mombasa Leg of the 2012 Groove Tour with SKIZA which was scheduled to take place this Easter weekend at the ASK Showground has been postponed.

Kevin Mulei, founder of the Groove Awards, said "owing to the recent security concerns, we are hesitant to host such a huge event at this festive time." Expressing his regret over the change of plans, Mr Mulei went on to state that, "We shall keep our fans at the Coast updated and indeed they should look forward to a great Groove experience soon." The rest of the Tours are still on track during the month of April, with the Meru Groove Tour with SKIZA on the 14th, Thika 15th and Eldoret on the 22nd.

The Groove Awards with SKIZA 2012 was officially launched on 27th March at the Groove Nomination Night, where the Award's nominees were announced. The build up to the Groove Awards kicked off with an inaugural Groove Tour with SKIZA at Kisumu's Jomo Kenyatta Grounds and was aired live on KTN. The mega concert had thousands of Gospel fans in attendance, with the Groove artistes delivering great performances. The artistes included Gloria Muliro, Dr. Oyaro, Emmy Kosgei, MOG, Eko Dydda, Rose Muhando from Tanzania amongst other Nyanza Gospel Artistes.

"We would like to thank all our partners, the Title sponsors Safaricom, Media Partner KTN, Radar Security, One FM and the Groove Team for their continued support and agreement on this decision." Mr Mulei said.

This year's Groove Awards with SKIZA will be held on 28th April 2012 at the Nairobi Baptist Church.

Capacity

Mombasa, 3rd April 2012. Safaricom subscribers in sections of Nairobi will from next week access the Internet at much faster speeds of 42 Mbps after upgrading.

Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore said initial roll-out will involve subscribers in the firm's Data Belt within the Central Business District, Kileleshwa, Kilimani and Westlands.

The Data Belt forms an area which has high Internet usage. The 42 Mbps trials started immediately after the launch of 21 Mbps last year.

Mr. Collymore was speaking on the sidelines of a three days Connected Kenya conference being held at the Leisure Lodge. The conference was opened by assistant minister for Information and Technology Mr. Simon Ogari. "At Safaricom, our aim is to 'democratize' the internet and bring it to as many Kenyans as possible. With the launch of this upgrade that allows for faster speeds, we are demonstrating true leadership in this quest," said Mr. Collymore.

He said the move was a direct response to consumer concerns and promised that the firm would continue listening and acting upon user feedback. Mr. Collymore said modems to support the speeds will be available later after the launch of the service. When Safaricom last upgraded its speeds from 7.2 Mbps to 21 Mbps, the consumer data offering also included a Huawei E1820 modem to support the speeds.

Safaricom was the first Kenyan operator to commercially launch a 3G network in October 2007, ensuring that its subscribers accessed high speed mobile data. The technology was initially available in and around Nairobi but was later rolled throughout the country within a year.

The theme of this years' conference is "knowledge and beyond." Mr. Collymore said the country needed to tap into the huge youth population - one of Kenya's richest resources – if by providing them with information.

Kenya's youth unemployment rate is estimated at more than 60 per cent. Although 14 million out of a population of 40 million Kenyans have Internet access this figure represented only 34 per cent of the population. "It is critical that this number increases," said Mr. Collymore.

March

TEAMS CABLE CUT REPAIRS COMPLETED AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

26th March 2012….Repair works on the TEAMS (The East African Marine Systems) Cable that was damaged on 25th February 2012 have been successfully completed. This cut which occurred at the Kenyan coast damaged a crucial link for the bulk of internet and international voice traffic in the region.

The repair works were successfully completed at 2:55 am 24th March 2012 ahead of the planned repair time of midnight 25th March 2012.

Commenting on the repairs work, TEAMS' General Manager Joel Tanui said, "Due to several undersea cable cuts around the same period (EASSY, EIG, SMW3, TEAMS) , the submarine cable maintenance company had a lot of challenges coping with the unusual workload. We were lucky to be allocated a cable ship that was just completing routine service at dry docks, Dubai. The repair cable ship arrived at Mombasa at midnight 20th March 2012 and immediately started the work the following day.

A landmark public-private partnership, TEAMS is the premier undersea cable system serving the entire East African region. Besides the Government of Kenya, the other shareholders in the TEAMS consortium include Safaricom, Jamii Telecom, Wananchi, Essar, Kenya Data Networks, Access Kenya, Telkom Orange and Bandwidth & Cloud Services.

Mr. Tanui further said, "We are deeply grateful for the patience that our TEAMS consortium members and all our customers showed during this time." It is estimated that the repairs of the cable, including costs for temporary traffic restoration via other cables during the TEAMS cable outage is about USD6 Million (Ksh500 Million), excluding loss of business as a result of heavily constrained bandwidth.

For further information, please contact Joel Tanui on Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , web: www.teams.co.ke

SAFARICOM LAUNCHES SIM REGISTRATION CAMPAIGN

Safaricom in bold registration move to ensure compliance.

March 13 2012… Integrated communications company, Safaricom has today launched a vigorous subscriber registration exercise countrywide.

The exercise, that kicks of tomorrow (14th March), targets customers who are yet to register their voice or data SIM cards. By dialling *232#, customers will now be able to confirm their registration details at no charge. Customers already registered can confirm their registration details by also dialling *232#.

This follows a similar SIM card registration campaign initiated by the Government in June 21, 2010 and applied to customers buying SIM cards for the first time as well as those acquiring additional lines.

This follows the Government's directive to mobile operators through the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) to ensure that all their subscribers' identity information is registered pursuant to a directive by H. E the President in June 2010.

Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore has made a special appeal to subscribers saying, "I would like to especially appeal to our voice and data customers who have PrePay modems, iPhones, iPads and Tablets to register their lines during this campaign to avoid future disconnection."

Mr Collymore went on to highlight the measures that the company has taken to ease the registration process, "We have now made it easier for our customers to register by having additional agents stationed within strategic locations countrywide. This is in addition to our Safaricom Shops, Dealer and M-PESA outlets that are all authorised to register customers

To register their SIM cards, subscribers are required to give their full names, identity document number, physical / postal address, gender, date of birth and alternative contacts .Customers are also required to present their original identity cards or other official personal identification documentation including Passports and Military IDs. In this new campaign, M-PESA customers will not be required to re-register. They will however be required provide additional details such as Physical address, and Alternative contact.

This SIM registration exercise will also greatly help Safaricom and the general public deal with the rising incidences of mobile phone perpetrated crimes, including kidnappings, fraud and hate messages.

Safaricom has taken the lead in the registration drive in anticipation of changes in the Kenya Information Act. This follows proposed legislative amendment to the Kenya Information and Communications Act to introduce provisions empowering the Minister for Information and Communications to make regulations for the registration of subscribers to telecommunication services.

For more information, please contact Victoria Kaigai on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

SAFARICOM TARGETS LOW INCOME USERS IN FIRST EVER M-PESA TARIFF REDUCTION

Transaction value limits lowered to Sh10 as firm reviews core tariff bands in aggressive pursuit of its financial inclusion agenda March 1, 2012…Global leader in mobile money services, Safaricom has today announced a major tariff review of its M-PESA service, the first since the service was launched in 2007. In a move geared towards increasing the number of Kenyans with access to basic financial services, registered M-PESA customers will now be able to send and receive amounts as low as Ksh10 with effect from today, against a previous limit of Ksh50, with charges for transfers within this band pegged at Ksh3. M-PESA customers can also now make micro-payments from as low as Ksh10 to Sh49 per month. At the same time, the company has lowered the transaction fees for its most popular value band which lies between Ksh101 and ksh500.The charge for this band, which accounts for over a quarter of all the transactions on the M-PESA platform, has been reduced from Ksh30 to Ksh25, in a move aimed at stimulating more transactions within the band. Citing customer feedback, Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore said: "It was very clear to us when we undertook this tariff review that we were in a unique position to extend the benefits of financial inclusion to more Kenyans, particularly those in lower income groups who rely very heavily on our service." He added, "We are particularly conscious of the fact that about 7 in 10 adults in Kenya now have access to some form of mobile money service and as the pioneers in this space, we have a specific role to ensure that our service remains affordable to everyone." The M-PESA tariff review also sees the introduction of 11 new tariff bands in a bid to rationalise the previous disparities between transaction amounts and charges levied for the same. Commenting on this revision, Mr Collymore stated, "The good news is that we have introduced lower charges for smaller transactions but at the same time we have had to increase the charges levied on the bigger amounts being transferred. This is motivated, in large part, by the need to give greater incentives to our growing agent network to embrace higher value transactions, while improving overall efficiency for our customers, particularly float availability." A detailed publication of the revised M-PESA tariffs is available on the company's website www.safaricom.co.ke.

February

Teams Cable Damaged by Ship at Mombasa

Monday, February 27th, 2012...A major cut has occurred on the TEAMS (The East African Marine Systems) cable at the coast, cutting a crucial link for the bulk of internet and international voice traffic in the region.

The cut, which occurred on Saturday February 25, was caused by a ship off the coast of Mombasa. This resulted in complete loss of traffic.

"We wish to notify all our stakeholders of ongoing emergency repair works and apologize unreservedly for any inconvenience this may cause. The cable should be fully operational within the next three weeks," said TEAMS' General Manager Joel Tanui.

He added that TEAMS had already notified its stakeholders and the undersea cable maintenance company E-Marine to commence repair work on the damaged cable. These works are expected to take about 3 weeks with maximum effort being made to reduce the downtime and its impact.

A landmark public-private partnership, TEAMS is the premier undersea cable system serving the entire East African region. Besides the Government of Kenya, the other shareholders in the TEAMS consortium include Safaricom, Jamii Telecom, Wananchi, Essar, Kenya Data Networks, Access Kenya, Telkom Orange and Bandwidth & Cloud Services.

For further information, please contact Joel Tanui on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Safaricom Announces Recovery of Data Service Following Teams Cable Cut

Monday, 27, 2012…Integrated communications company, Safaricom, has announced partial restoration of data service for its customers, following a cut that occurred on the critical TEAMS (The East African Marine Systems) undersea cable over the weekend.

Maritime officials have confirmed that a shipping vessel caused the cable cut at around midday on Saturday February 25, 2012. As a result, Safaricom customers experienced low internet speeds during the weekend as the firm actively cut over to alternative routes. Other services affected by the cut included international voice calls and Blackberry services.

To remedy the situation, Safaricom has successfully moved all its internet traffic to alternative routes, principally the Seacom undersea cable, resulting in partial recovery and resumption of services.

Safaricom has expressed its concern over the impact of this incident on data services in the region. The cable is one of the 3 routes for international connectivity in the East African region.

"We have been advised that owing to the highly specialized nature of the repair work, an external team has been dispatched to Mombasa and that the operation may take as long as three weeks. We thank our customers for their patience and understanding during this time and assure them of our commitment to the best data experience in Kenya," said Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore.

For more information, please contact Washington Akumu on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

M-PESA Upgrade, Outage on Saturday Night

Nairobi, February 9, 2012…Integrated communications firm Safaricom has today notified its customers of a planned upgrade on its M-PESA service on Saturday night.

During the upgrade, to be carried out between Saturday (February 11th) at midnight and 6 am on Sunday (February 12th), the M-PESA service will not be available.

The upgrade is expected to enhance the M-PESA offering and ensure that the platform continues to deliver more innovative services.

Said Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore, "We wish to thank our customers for their continued support and understanding and assure them that this upgrade is necessary in order to grow the M-PESA service menu and improve overall customer experience."

He assured customers that all funds and records on the M-PESA remained safe.

For any inquiries or clarifications, customers and agents are advised to call M-PESA customer support on 234 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

January

Safaricom in Job Collaboration with Varsity

Partnership meant to equip students for the job market

January 19, 2012…Integrated communications firm Safaricom has today renewed its partnership with Moi University, as part of its support towards the development of qualified telecommunications professionals in Kenya.

The collaboration, which has been on for the last five years, is aimed at growing a pool of ready-to-work telecommunications engineers and other professionals for the Kenyan market and beyond.

Safaricom signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Moi University in 2006 as part of a proactive approach to developing relevant work-place skills by partnering with institutions of higher learning.

"We are happy to contribute to the education and training of competent telecommunications engineers for the local and international markets. We believe that the future of our industry depends, to a large extent, on the quality of the people we employ," said Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore during the signing ceremony held today at the Michael Joseph Centre, Safaricom House.

He lauded Moi University's commitment to producing competent engineers and pledged Safaricom's support for the partnership, saying it would promote a culture of innovation.

"For us at Safaricom, universities are a rich source of young innovative minds that will one day yield game-changing technological breakthroughs. We are increasingly looking for highly skilled graduates who can make a real difference in our company," added Mr Collymore.

Prof Richard Mibey, who signed on behalf of Moi University, thanked Safaricom for its support, especially in the development, five years ago of a curriculum for the Bachelor of Telecommunication Engineering course at Moi University. The first beneficiaries of the course graduated last year.

The partnership with Safaricom, he added, was an excellent example of how the corporate sector can enrich and contribute positively to human resource training and development in the country.

Under the MoU, Safaricom provides industrial attachment to 6 undergraduates taking the Bachelor of Telecommunications Engineering course at the university every year; sponsors curriculum reviews; rewards the best telecoms engineering student each year; donates equipment to the university on a regular basis e.g. computers and sponsors and participates in several activities at the college including the Engineering Students Expo, Career Days and telecommunications workshops and conferences.

Among past successes of the MoU are the donation of a microwave radio link equipment worth $30,000 (about Sh2.5 million) to Moi University for teaching and research purposes. Safaricom has also donated 20 used computers to the university's computer laboratory. The winner of the Safaricom Best Telecoms Student Award 2011, Kennedy Winga, is already a Safaricom employee.

As the local telecoms industry grows and demand for specialized skills increases, such partnerships will be a key ingredient in producing a cadre of qualified workers. Local universities, which provide about 5,000 ICT graduates annually, face a lot of challenges in putting together the infrastructure needed to achieve this.

M-pesa Upgrade, Outage on Saturday Night

Nairobi, January 19, 2012…Integrated communications firm Safaricom has today notified its customers of a planned upgrade on its M-PESA service on Saturday night.

During the upgrade, to be carried out between 8 pm on Saturday (January 21st) and 6 am on Sunday (January 22nd), the M-PESA service will not be available.

The upgrade is expected to enhance the M-PESA offering and ensure that the platform continues to deliver more innovative services.

He assured customers that all funds and records on the M-PESA remained safe.

SAFARICOM UNVEILS KSHS.85 MILLION PROMO

"Promo is the largest this year: 60 customers to win Kshs.1 million, one lucky winner to get Kshs.10 million"

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