On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 1:05 PM, Phares Kariuki<pkariuki@gmail.com> wrote:
Talk starts at 6 pm. There will be some Journalists from CBC Canada, who will be keen to meet participants.
Would anybody know when, or if, the CBC journalists published their M-Pesa story? They interviewed me on "the dark side of M-Pesa" apparently because they could not get critics of the safaricom service. Explained to them that it was ridiculous for the service not to allow users to pick the "send-to" number from the phone book as opposed to have to wwrite down the number on a piece of papers then re-type it. Alternatively to pre-confirm to the user whom they intend to send the cash to before hitting the "send" button. Why bother telling me to whom I sent when it's already too late? Otherwise, I am ever afraid to send large sums of money. Lately I am curious as to why so many still prefer to use "manual" payment methods for example, electricity bills when Zap M-Pesa exist? I suspect M-Pesa used in urgent situations, where one has no choice or the alternative would be too expensive. If a cheaper alternative existed , then it would be bye bye M-Pesas and Zaps...