Mpesa is owned by Vodafone UK and Safaricom is an agent, like Vodacom SA. Details in their annual report.

I was looking for an online copy of Safaricoms terms and conditions on submitions made to them. Anyway, it states that once you submit an idea to them, they own it, etc. Your pal is not the first to fall for this one. There's been the likes of Get it 411 and vehicle tracking.

They appear to be legally covered. Ethically, I think they are wrong (insert abusive words here).




2011/2/9 Timothy Mutugi <timothymutugi@gmail.com>
@mark

I thought M-pesa is 100% Kenyan (this is the impression in the local
and international media)..?

Timo.

On 2/9/11, Mark Mwangi <mwangy@gmail.com> wrote:
> m-pesa was not a stolen idea. . .it is vodafone initiated and kenya was just
> a test bed. .
>
> On Wed, Feb 9, 2011 at 11:37 AM, [Brainiac] <arebacollins@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> or just share it here and watch the court of public opinion devour $fcom,
>> if only to feel some sense of justice.
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Feb 9, 2011 at 11:33 AM, TheMburu George
>> <themburu@gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>> So the idea is kaput as in gone but with traces??
>>>
>>> ./TheMburu
>>>
>>> On Wed, Feb 9, 2011 at 10:49 AM, Kiti Chigiri
>>> <kiti.chigiri@gmail.com>wrote:
>>>
>>>> You could also work on the idea into a Minumum Viable Product
>>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_viable_product  which you then
>>>> patenr before sharing it. At least you will be protected by patent laws
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Wed, Feb 9, 2011 at 10:46 AM, Kebaya Mwamba <humphreykebaya@gmail.com
>>>> > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Tell her
>>>>>
>>>>> 1. Collect and document all evidence of the idea. Meetings/ Emails/
>>>>> SMSes/ Witnesses.
>>>>>
>>>>> 2.Contact this intellectual property firm : Okonjo and Mwagambo
>>>>> Advocates.
>>>>>
>>>>> *3.NEVER GO FOR IDEA PRESENTATIONS WITHOUT A LAWYER. BOTH PARTIES
>>>>> SHOULD SIGN BEFORE THE PRESENTATION.*
>>>>>
>>>>> *------------------------------------------------
>>>>> *on a righteous path*
>>>>> ------------------------------------------------*
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On 9 February 2011 10:40, TheMburu George <themburu@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi Skunks
>>>>>>
>>>>>> A friend of mine tells me she submitted an idea on safcoms innovations
>>>>>> a while back. It was marked as viable and suddenly the product was
>>>>>> launched???!!!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Now so many queries arise from this situation as even the idea owner
>>>>>> is
>>>>>> not recognized as the owner, does it mean submitting an idea makes a
>>>>>> Safcom
>>>>>> product/deal, dont they seek a deal to involve you in the product from
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> idea and many more questions.
>>>>>> Simply put whats the protection to the owner of the idea or any legal
>>>>>> take and are there no benefits from this?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Assist here skunks!
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ./TheMburu
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Conservatism is the adherence to the old tried against the new
>>>>>> untried.
>>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Conservatism is the adherence to the old tried against the new untried.
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> *“The twentieth century has been characterized by three developments of
>> great political importance: the growth of democracy, the growth of
>> corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of
>> protecting corporate power against democracy”*
>>
>> ~  Alex Carey ~
>>
>> Tel No: 0x2af23696
>>
>>
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