Lilian Ng’ang’a proposes blocking phone lines of users who decline to reverse wrong M-Pesa transfers
By Ascah Mwango, March 16, 2026Former Machakos County First Lady Lilian Ng’ang’a has proposed a tough measure against people who refuse to return money sent to them by mistake through M-Pesa.
In a statement shared on her Instagram page on Monday, March 16, 2026, Ng’ang’a suggested that phone lines belonging to individuals who deliberately keep money sent to them in error should be disabled.
According to the author, technology has made sending money easier, but systems should also evolve to protect people from unnecessary losses.
“Keeping up with the times means adapting systems that save time and reduce costs. A bit extreme, but Safaricom should disable phone lines of people who refuse to reverse money sent to them by mistake. I know a lot of people have lost money to such crooks,” she declared.
Reversing wrong transactions
Her remarks touched on a situation many Kenyans know too well. The issue is common because mobile money is now part of daily life in Kenya, largely powered by Safaricom’s M-Pesa platform. Millions of Kenyans use it to pay rent, buy groceries, send school fees or support family members across the country. With such a high volume of transactions, even a small typing mistake can send money to the wrong person.
When such mistakes happen, there is a process that allows users to try to recover their money. If someone realises they have sent money to the wrong number, they can request a reversal by forwarding the original M-Pesa transaction message to 456 within a short period after the transfer. The system then initiates the reversal process and sends a notification confirming receipt of the request.
Safaricom then contacts the person who received the money and attempts to recover the funds. If the money is still in the account and the recipient agrees, it is sent back to the original sender. In many cases, the company provides feedback on the request’s status within a few hours.
However, the process is not always successful. Reversals depend on several factors, including whether the money is still available in the recipient’s account and whether the transaction type qualifies for reversal. Some payments, such as certain business transactions or bills, may require additional steps or the involvement of the receiving organisation.
Because of these limitations, some Kenyans are forced to rely on the goodwill of the person who received the money.