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X Premium: How Much Twitter Blue Tick Costs in Kenya (2023)

Long before Elon Musk bought Twitter for a staggering $44 billion in a deal that was closed on October 27, 2022, and turned it to X, the Twitter blue tick conferred a special status as only reserved accounts of authentic presence in terms of notability and uniqueness could get the verified badge close to its name.

Those with Twitter verification status included celebrities, journalists, media houses, people in government, and other public figures and brands, but not all of them, as one had to prove they are ‘important’ and most searched for to demonstrate authority and be bestowed the symbol. Literally, almost everyone coveted it.

But after Twitter’s takeover by the World’s richest man, the Twitter blue tick is no longer a thing. Everyone and anyone can subscribe to X Premium and get the checkmark in their accounts.

Requirements before getting verified on X

Elon Musk changed the verification policy of formerly Twitter, now X. Here are the eligibility requirements before getting verified on X anywhere in the world, including Kenya;

* Your X account must have a profile photo and complete details
* You must have logged in to X (Twitter) within the last 30 days
* You must not have changed your @handle within the previous three days to avoid impersonation risks
* X Account holders must be 90 days old on the platform before requesting a blue badge

How much is a Twitter blue tick on X?

The famous Kenyans on Twitter (KOT) are now Kenyans on X. If you are one of them, it is good news that you can subscribe to Twitter Blue as users from one of the countries eligible for X Premium. The cost of getting verified on X (Twitter) in Kenya is $8 per month or $84 if you choose an annual subscription. It is roughly Ksh1,170 for a 30-day of X Premium and Ksh12,340 for a year.

Businesses, government agencies, and non-profit organizations have their tailored gold checkmark on X that is much more expensive than an individual account blue tick. Verified organizations in Kenya must pay a monthly X Premium subscription fee of Ksh131,300 to get one and Ksh6,570 for each additional handle.

Why is it important to get Twitter Blue on X?

Why is it important to get Twitter Blue on X?
Elon Musk – owner of X, formerly Twitter.

Getting verified by subscribing to X Premium opens networking opportunities and increases brand, given that it boosts the organic reach of posts, making them appear in most users’ Twitter media timelines for many likes and reposts. It can make you go viral!

That is not all. With a Twitter blue tik on Elon Musk’s X, verified account holders can single-tweet a post of up to 25,000 characters (unverified X accounts have a 280-character limit) with text formatting abilities like bold and italics, edit it within an hour after posting, and highlight them to appear in a dedicated tab in their profiles.

Additionally, they can undo these posts. Another advantage is posting longer videos of 3 hours maximum or 8GB in size and seeing 50% fewer ads than users of ‘normal Twitter.’ Users with X blue tick can also bookmark folders and employ the SMS two-factor authentication for enhanced security.

 

What Payment Methods Are Accepted for StarTimes Kenya?

For many Kenyan households, StarTimes is the go-to digital box for binge-watching a couple hundreds of movies in its ST Movies Plus, ST Kungfu, and ST Sino Drama channels, inspiring love stories at ST Novela E and ST Novela E Plus, as well as catching live sports in ST Sports Life, ST Sports Premium and ST Sports Focus among other high profile programming.

StarTimes Kenya is a popular boxset from a Chinese media company, StarTimes Group. Viewers love it not only because of the packed in-content catalog but also its cheaper monthly subscription costs, the most inexpensive StarTimes package starting at Ksh299, which is the antenna-type Nyota bouquet, and Ksh499 for dish pay TV StarTimes Nova. Here is more information;

StarTimes packages Monthly costs TV type
Nyota bouquet Ksh299 Antenna
Basic bouquet Ksh649 Antenna
Classic bouquet Ksh999 Antenna
StarTimes Nova bouquet Ksh499 Dish pay-TV
StarTimes Super bouquet Ksh1,059 Dish pay-TV
StarTimes Smart bouquet Ksh1,599 Dish pay-TV
StarTimes Chinese bouquet Ksh1,999 Dish pay-TV

So, if you want to subscribe to StarTimes to enjoy its lineup of best shows, encompassing comedy, drama, documentary, sports, and films, you are probably asking yourself, “What are some of the StarTimes payment methods?” “How do I subscribe to StarTimes in Kenya?” “Can I pay StarTimes subscription plans with Mpesa?” Well, we got you:

How to pay for StarTimes packages

To watch TV programs using StarTimes decoder, you must pay the upfront subscription cost of its bouquets – Nyota, Basic, Classic, Nova, Super, Smart, and DTH Chinese, a special StarTimes package that airs 90% of the content in Chinese at Ksh1,199 per month.

StarTimes supports various payment methods, and the verified payment channels are Mpesa, Airtel Money, and Equity Bank’s *247#. Here are steps to activate the available plans;

Directions on paying StarTimes Kenya using Mpesa

If you have a Safaricom SIM Card, here is how to pay StarTimes subscription;

1. Go to the SIM toolkit, then Mpesa
2. Click on Lipa na Mpesa and select Pay bill
3. Enter StarTimes business number 585858
4. On the twelve-digit smartcard number in your StarTimes smartcard, copy the first 11 in the Mpesa account name as your account number
5. Enter amount between Ksh299 – Ksh1,599, depending on your preferred plan
6. Enter your PIN and hit ‘Send’ to complete the transaction

StarTimes is a pay-and-view TV service, and it is only after full payment of respective package amounts that you can access its library of exclusive content and classics. Keep your decoder on so that the payment through Mpesa can be processed automatically within five minutes.

Directions on paying StarTimes packages on Airtel Money

Did you know you can pay your StarTimes subscription using Airtel Money, one of its verified payment methods? Here is how to do it;

1. Go to Airtel Money on the SIM toolkit
2. Click ‘make payments,’ then ‘pay bill’
3. Choose others and enter ‘ipay’ as StarTimes business name on Airtel Money
4. Enter the amount to pay
5. Key in your PIN and proceed
6. In the reference number section, enter your StarTimes account number (the first 11 digits on the smartcard)
7. Press OK to complete the payment

Your StarTimes subscription will be on within five minutes of making the payment.

Paying StarTimes bouquet using Equity Eazzy

Follow these steps to pay for your desired package;

1. Dial *247# and enter your PIN to access the customer menu
2. Choose ‘Bill Payments’
3. Select other bills and choose the Equity account to pay from
4. Enter StarTimes business number 585858
5. Key in your 11-digit StarTimes account number
6. Enter the amount and PIN to confirm the transaction

You will receive confirmation messages from Equity Bank confirming the payment and StarTimes Kenya acknowledging the receipt of the money paid. Your paid package will activate in a few minutes.

 

 

 

Netflix in Kenya: Subscription Plans and Pricing 2024

Life seems hard because of its daily insecurities and failures of productivity, but at least we can Netflix and chill. Enjoy. You can Netflix, that one I am sure of, but I doubt if you can chill with a free plan.

Watching movies and TV shows is a favorite pastime ritual for most people, but did you know that aside from relaxation, films help us experience different moments of time in an emotional and fun way, ultimately impacting our mental health positively?

It soothes mentally, and psychologists say it reduces stress as a form of cinema therapy, improves cognitive skills by expanding imagination and creativity, and reworks relationships, among other social and psychological benefits. This should give you a reason to get a Netflix subscription;

How much does a Netflix subscription cost in Kenya?

Netflix is available for watching on a variety of devices (supported devices) in Kenya; you can access its content on Plug and Play streaming media players like Apple TV and Chromecast, mobile phones, Blu-ray players, Blu-ray players, laptops, and desktops, through pay-TV providers or on smart TVs.

These supported devices, alongside content access, affect the pricing of Netflix plans: For instance, the cheapest subscription you can get in Kenya right now is Netflix Mobile (accessed only through phones and tablets) for Ksh200 per month, while the most expensive is Netflix Premium which goes for Ksh1,100 in the same period (30 days) and supports watch on TVs and laptops.

The advantage of getting a Netflix Premium Plan is that you will have access to all content that the streamer has to offer ad-free. Netflix has a total of four packages in Kenya – Mobile, Basic, Standard, and Premium. Check out its prices;

No. Netflix package Price in Kenya (2024)
1 Mobile Ksh200 per month
2 Basic Ksh300 per month
3 Standard Ksh700 per month
4 Premium Ksh1,100 per month

What is the difference between packages Netflix Mobile and Netflix Basic?

Netflix pricing tiers are categorized based on devices to watch on, content viewing and download, and video resolution. Netflix Mobile’s monthly price is Ksh200 while Basic is Ksh300 – this is the obvious difference.

Subscribers of these Netflix packages in Kenya won’t see any commercials when consuming its content, but the takers of Netflix Basic will watch an improved picture and screen quality on a higher display resolution (HD) than their counterparts of Netflix Mobile, which is in standard definition (SD).

Netflix Standard vs. Netflix Premium in Kenya

The main difference between these two Netflix plans lies in the pricing; Netflix Standard costs Ksh700 per month while Premium is Ksh1,100. Further, subscribers of Netflix Standard can access and download content on two of its supported devices at a time, while those on Netflix Premium watch on four and download on six of those devices at one time.

Additionally, TV series, movies, and documentaries on Netflix Premium are shown on a higher 4K image resolution Ultra HD than the Standard plan, which uses its lower mode Full HD 1080p image resolution.

READ: GOtv Supa Plus in Kenya: All You Need to Know

Entertainment PR Anyiko Owoko Blames Podcaster for Sexist Remarks, Andrew Kibe Weighs In

On its own, it wasn’t worth all the attention it got until US-based Kenyan content creator Andrew Kibe posted his sentiments after Anyiko Owoko called out what she felt was sexist on one of the Iko Nini podcasts.

In case you missed it, Mwafreeka, a legendary Kenyan musician and a media personality who runs the Iko Nini Podcast and Iko Nini YouTube channel interviewed Kagwe Mungai in a video that was posted as Episode 203 on August 11, 2023, in which they talked about the diverse and unique music scene, its challenges as well as other interesting topics like family.

Six minutes into the video, Mwafrika had already gotten Kagwe to speak about how he set his sights across the pond when he was starting as a musician, and he stated that his first album, Spectrum, was produced by Taurus Musik. This Nigeria record label had also signed singer Dela Maranga, famous for her song Mafeelings.

The man behind Ghostika said this while revealing the details of his second studio album, Rada, produced independently after going separate ways with the label. When asked how it went with Dela, Kagwe said that she also left Taurus Musik when her contract ended, adding that she has been inactive for a while, attributable to the many responsibilities that come with having a new family after getting married.

The conversion grew, and the two gentlemen, from their different experiences in their musical journeys, decided to talk about the challenges facing new and rising artists. They agreed that it is true that there are challenges, but men were more likely to swim through than women, as evidenced by the successes of the males in the industry.

However, this was not the formula and the results in every entertainment sector. They observed that there was some sort of a balance because women were very successful on the paid pornographic subscriber platform OnlyFans compared to men – this is where Mwafreeka stepped on Anyiko’s toes.

Mwafreeka (L) and Kagwe Mungai on Iko Nini Podcast.

Taking to Twitter, Anyiko, a well-known publicist in corporate circles, complained that that was a sexist slur that aims to victimize the targets, who may be seen as passive erotic objects.

“Didn’t expect @Mwafreeka to spew such sexist comments on that pod. “Women are only good at the only-fans industry”? And y’all laughed about that as if that’s a very funny joke?” She tweeted.

 

In an attempt to diffuse the situation, Mwafreeka was quick to give a soft reply similar to his facial appearance if you apply the social psychological face perception: “Please share the clip. I want to see when I said, “Women are ONLY good at OnlyFans.” If I said that in those exact words and sentiments, then Iko Nini is trash.”

But the same could not continue when ‘Mr Lambistic’ Andrew Kibe was around. Out of the mist, Kibe appeared and decided to unbury the hatchet, reminding everyone that he always had a bone to pick with Anyiko.

“I remember the move you pulled while I was at NRG radio when you brought Redsan for an interview. You’re probably the trashiest human in the entertainment industry in Kenya right now. Go cancel your nyanye puny biatch!” Kibe ranted, proving to be angrier than when the incident happened.

Narrating exactly how his row with Anyiko started, Kibe said in his Boyz Night In Wednesdays show that at one time in 2019, when he was working on NRG, he had a chance to interview dancehall star Redsan in a meaningful exchange that took almost an hour. While at it, social media guys at the radio station were taking photos of them for posting on its online spaces.

He acknowledged that he hailed Redsan a lot because he grew up listening to him, aside from the interview being just a great milestone in his radio career. Sadly, he didn’t know that all the pomp and passion was short-lived.

The conversation was over when its dedicated time lapsed, and their photos were uploaded on the company’s socials, but Anyiko of Anyiko Public Relations (Anyiko PR) went and asked one of the seniors named Sebastian to delete the photo.

When Kibe tried to inquire why the photo of him smiling with the artist had to be pulled down, the reason was simple; “Redsan does not want his face and your face on the same photo.”

He pointed out that the corporate sector may not be as friendly as it may seem.

 

Modern Coast Express: The Best Low-Cost Way to Travel in Kenya

The level of competition in the public transport sector in Kenya has increased sharply in recent years, attributable to a significant number of new entrants in the coach and matatu business.

Despite this, an old logistics company started in 1985, Modern Coast Group of Companies of Modern Coast Express buses, is still among the well-known long-distance coach operators in the country, providing a safe and pleasant travel experience to passengers in their largest route network that extends from Kenya to Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda.

Modern Coast Express buses have been able to keep up the pace of the digital age due to their approach of rethinking and reconceptualizing the latest innovations to remain a step in front to play a time-to-market advantage against competitors.

Its buses are fitted with air conditioning, a fast Wi-Fi network, and reclining seats that are spacious enough to accommodate people with disabilities to get everyone from point A to point B stress-free.

Modern Coast is also an affordable means of travel, offering reasonable pricing for bus tickets. What about the ease of booking them? Discover a new way of reaching your destination in Kenya:

How do I book Modern Coast Express online?

You can find cheap Modern Coast luxury bus tickets by directly booking online through the following steps;

1. Visit www.modern.co.ke
2. On the left navigation menu labeled ‘Book a ticket now,’ fill in your location in ‘Leaving From’ and destination in ‘Travelling To’


3. Enter the date of your trip
4. Go to ‘SEARCH AVAILABLE BUSES’ to view the Modern Coast Express timetable
5. On the next page, click on a bus of your choice. You’ll see payable fares
6. Select your seat, enter precise boarding and dropping points, and click ‘Continue’
7. Log in to your Modern Coast Express account or click ‘Continue as a Guest’ if you don’t have an account
8. You’ll access the Passenger Details section. Key in the required information and ‘PROCEED TO REVIEW TRIP’


9. Here, your fare will be displayed alongside booking details. Now ‘PROCEED TO PAYMENT’
10. Go to ‘Submit’ to pay your Modern Coast bus fare via Mpesa. An automatic payment prompt will pop up on your phone. Enter Mpesa PIN to approve the transaction

Paying for your Modern Coast Express tickets is simple with Mpesa. If you don’t receive the prompt, you can settle your ticket prices by using pay bill number 541559 and the special account number (booking code) gotten at the last stage of online booking.

Modern Coast buses operating routes and fares 2023

Modern Coast Express has a vast web of routes and charges affordable bus fares to get you onboard feeling relaxed, even pocket-wise. Its local intercity and rural routes cover places like Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Kisumu, Kitale, Bungoma, Eldoret, Malaba, Kericho, Busia, Migori, Garissa, Syokimau, Rongo, Kakamega and others.

Outside Kenya, the Modern Coast bus reaches Kampala in Uganda, Kigali in Rwanda, Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Mbarara, Muheza, and other areas. Check out how much you will pay to get a bus ticket:

Leaving from; Traveling to; Cost of one-way Modern Coast bus ticket
Mombasa Nairobi Ksh1,700 – Ksh2,100
Nakuru Mombasa Ksh2,500 – Ksh3,000
Kisumu Mombasa Ksh2,300 – Ksh3,000
Kampala Mombasa Ksh4,700 – Ksh5,100
Nairobi Kakamega Ksh1,200 – Ksh1,500
Nairobi Jinja Ksh3,200 – Ksh3,500
Nairobi Kirundo (Burundi) Ksh11,000 – Ksh11,500
Mombasa Kisumu Ksh2,500 – Ksh2,900
Kisumu Bujumbura Ksh5,600 – Ksh6,000
Nairobi Mtito Andei Ksh1,500 – Ksh1,900
Nairobi Busia Ksh2,200 – Ksh2,700
Nakuru Kisumu Ksh1,000 – Ksh1,500
Nakuru Busia Ksh900 – Ksh1,300

Who owns Modern Coast Express buses?

The company’s first year in business was in 1985, when it began in Mombasa as a simple transport company and grew to diversify, adding a heavy commercial transport service division that currently has a fleet of over 100 trailers. In 1999, it formed a fully independent logistics business under Vantage Point Company, which is involved in freight forwarding and clearing, among other ship agency handling, in partnership with international companies.

Modern Coast buses owner – Shahid Pervez Butt (late)

Modern Coast Express is a public transport company of Modern Coast Group of Companies owned by the family of the late Shahid Pervez Butt, a billionaire businessman who hailed from the coast. He was shot dead on Friday, July 11, 2014, as he drove back from Moi International Airport in Mombasa.

At the time of his death, Pervez’s net worth stood at Ksh5 billion. Before his killing, he was scheduled to appear in court for allegedly funding coastal terroristic activities, mostly involving the Muslim youth.

READ: Fares From September 2023 – Guardian Angel Buses Kenya

Is There Newest Kenya Police Recruitment for 2023?

Even though the Kenya Police Service is rife with circumstantial and situational stressors by virtue of the tasks involved, such as crime prevention, detection, and other law enforcement services as an integral part of the criminal justice system that ensures law and order, many people especially the youth still want to be part of the policing force due to high rate of unemployment and a small number passion.

With Kenya Defence Forces Recruitment 2023 already going on since last month on August 28, the question ‘Is there police recruitment in 2023?’ has dominated the searches, especially for those who wished to become successful Kenya Defence Forces recruits, train and later join the Army but the requirements failed them.

Most people meet the residency and physical requirements, but the age factor eliminates them in the fight for limited opportunities: Kenyans of 18 – 28 years qualify to be recruited to the National Police Service, unlike the KDF, whose maximum age is 26, locking out a significant number.

So, if you are considering joining the Kenya Police in 2023 and actively looking for chances of getting recruited this year, save your time and cut the usage of your data plan because there is a lot of misleading information on several websites.

The Kenya Police Service has not announced a recruitment drive for 2023, and the only law enforcement job openings posted before are not for hopefuls but those who are already in service. The National Police Service Commission announced 514 vacancies, which were published on June 8, 2023, but the call for submissions of applications already expired on June 30.

The highest job listing was that of Senior Assistant Inspector General (SAIG), which required a minimum of three years of service as an Assistant Inspector General of Kenya Police, while the lowest job rank was Superintendent of Police (SP), in which Detective Assistant Superintendents who have three years experience fit to apply.

The Kenya Police Recruitment for this year has not been made public.

Using Mash Poa Bus Services in Kenya

Numerous transportation options exist in Kenya, but some are sparse, like rail services, not everywhere is connected with railways, or expensive; a good example of this is air transport, which will not only drain your pocket but is inconvenient since many places lack a nearby airport. It makes traveling by bus a complementary and viable means of reaching places.

Buses are an affordable way to travel around the country and far. Aside from saving you some cash in the tough economy, it is environmentally beneficial as it reduces the carbon footprint as we buy time to transition fully to electric cars – maybe.

There are several coach lines that provide low-cost travel due to capacity-controlled pricing models that see passengers paying a capped bus fare when traveling along specific routes, providing a lifeline to those from the furthest picking point.

One such coach line is Mash Poa of Mash East Africa. It provides cheap luxury travel through major intercity routes and rural areas. Check out how much you will pay to ride to your destination;

Mash Poa routes and fares 2023

Mash Poa buses have an extensive network along popular travel routes that extend beyond Kenyan borders. From Nairobi to Mombasa, Mombasa to Mumias, Kitui to Mombasa, Nairobi to Malindi, and Eldoret, it goes to Kampala in Uganda and Rwanda’s Kigali.

Here are the latest Mash Poa bus transportation costs for Normal – VIP seats:

Booking from; Destination Mash Poa ticket charges
Ahero Mombasa Ksh2,500 – Ksh3,000
Eldoret Mombasa Ksh2,500 – Ksh3,000
Malaba  Mombasa Ksh2,500 – Ksh3,000
Kakamega Kericho Ksh1,500
Kakamega  Voi Ksh2,500 – Ksh3,000
Kakamega Nairobi Ksh1,500
Mumias Mombasa Ksh2,500 – Ksh3,000
Mombasa Kisumu Ksh2,500 – Ksh3,000
Kampala  Nairobi Ksh3,000 – Ksh4,000
Nairobi Busia Ksh1,500 – Ksh3,000
Nairobi Rongo Ksh2,500 – Ksh3,000
Nairobi Kilifi Ksh1,600 – Ksh2,200
Emali Malindi Ksh1,600 – Ksh2,200
Migori Mombasa Ksh2,500 – Ksh3,000
Mombasa  Mumias Ksh2,500 – Ksh3,000
Mombasa  Migori Ksh2,500 – Ksh3,000

Mash Poa buses are comfortable, fitted with cozy leather reclinable seats, where you can nap while racking up the miles to your destination. For an enhanced passenger experience after waking up, or if you are the nocturnal type, a free Wi-Fi network is available to keep you connected to your favorite TV show on the journey.

And you don’t have to worry about draining your phone battery. Mash Poa has power outlets for accessible devices’ charging to make you productive on the go. Let’s not talk about VIP treatment…

How to book Mash Poa online

Follow these steps to get your Mash Poa bus ticket on your phone.

1. Visit www.mashpoa.com
2. On the homepage, fill in the Easy, Safer, and Convenient booking form with your departure and dropping point in the ‘From’ and ‘To’ sections


3. Enter your date of travel and go to ‘Search’ to check available Mash Poa buses
4. A list of scheduled buses will appear. View your best suit and click ‘View Seats’ to proceed with online booking
5. On the next page, confirm departure, destination, and fare prices and choose your sitting position on the bus
6. Go to ‘Continue’ then continue as a guest if you do not have a Mash Poa account to access the Passenger Details section
7. Fill in your personal details like name, contact, ID number, and nationality
8. Hit ‘PROCEED TO PAY’
9. Now click ‘Make Payment’ to receive a Mpesa payment instruction on your phone
10. Enter your PIN to buy the ticket. You will receive a message from Mash Poa East Africa with ticket details, which is printable on its website

Alternatively, Paying Mash Poa’s bus fare is possible through Mpesa pay bill number 857988 only after receiving your booking code, which arrives via SMS a few minutes after completing step 10.

Standard Chartered Kenya Instant Transfer Fees to Mpesa 2024

Each day, someone somewhere in the world is banging their head against a brick wall trying to figure out how to pay for goods taken and services received, but at least not in Kenya.

Luckily, mobile money, especially Mpesa, is sort of ingrained in our culture, or perhaps in the DNA or even heart; not because of fear of change, conservatism, or inflexibility, as banks have also proven to be an incredible source of adjustment, with a good number of Kenyans having an account or two, for instance, in Standard Chartered Bank, which has several current and savings accounts.

Mpesa stands out against many money transfer services thanks to its transfer speed, cost, and convenience. Many people use Mpesa to send and receive money from friends and family and pay businesses.

Standard Chartered Bank also closely boasts the same, but I doubt it from an honest standpoint for sincerely, you need internet to use its mobile banking app or some airtime when dialing its USSD *722# to make transactions, unlike Mpesa.

So I am sure that if you are a Standard Chartered customer, you also use Mpesa, and I’d stake Makwakwa’s life (my favorite pet) on it, not that I lack minimal empathy, but I love my life.

If you fall within these parameters, it is better to know what it will cost you when withdrawing money from your Standard Chartered Bank personal account to Mpesa after the bank reviewed its rates early in 2023.

The latest Standard Chartered to Mpesa charges

You can transfer money from your Standard Chartered account to Mpesa instantly if you are willing to pay the applicable fees that start from Ksh40 for amounts below Ksh1,000 up to Ksh75 for funds over Ksh35,000. It is not free to withdraw money from the SC account to Mpesa.

Find out the actual charges:

Amount to withdraw from Standard Chartered Mpesa charges 2024
Ksh1 – Ksh1,000 Ksh40
Ksh1,001 – Ksh5,000 Ksh55
Ksh5,001 – Ksh10,000 Ksh60
Ksh10,001 – Ksh20,000 Ksh65
Ksh20,001 – Ksh35,000 Ksh70
Ksh35,001+ Ksh75

SC mobile banking withdrawal costs to Mpesa also apply to SC to Airtel Money.

READ: How to Add Money to Mpesa From StanChart Standard Chartered Bank

How to Protect Your Safaricom Line From SIM Swap Attack

SIM swapping, SIM hijacking, SIM jacking, and SIM splitting are tied action words that describe fraudster doings of taking over a customer’s SIM card and bypassing the Two-factor authentication (2FA) or any other multi-factor authentication systems using illegally obtained personal data for defraudation.

Putting it plainly, a subscriber identity module (SIM) swap is when a fraudster replaces your SIM card without your knowledge after getting the details used to register it, such as name, ID number, and date of birth, through identity theft.

Commonly, scammers get this information by making deceptive and manipulative calls that trick a customer into giving bank account passwords and Mpesa PINs and acting to their detriment, maybe by dialing some complex, unknown numbers.

SIM swaps often go unacknowledged until it is too late after all the money in your Mpesa and bank accounts is siphoned. Other scammers even risk further and call your contacts, demanding funds because suddenly, you are experiencing an ’emergency.’ Awful!

Safaricom also says that; “fraudsters go to the extent of registering an existing number on a new SIM card in order to intercept notifications, one-time passwords, online banking profile, and transactions as well as changing the account security settings.”

If you have ever been here, you know the results are devastating, financially and socially damaging. To protect its customers from SIM swap fraud, Safaricom introduced a way of blocking SIM swaps. Do this;

How to block your Safaricom SIM card from unauthorized replacement

SIM swap is the same as SIM replacement without your consent. As a customer, before replacing your SIM card when let’s say, you lost it, you need to visit a Safaricom Mpesa outlet or shop before you get a line replacement.

While there, you must give your SIM card lock or PIN (not Mpesa PIN), full name, and ID number. Because they say prevention is better than cure, keep these prerequisites safe, away from possible scam artists to avoid SIM swap.

Alternatively, one can replace a Safaricom SIM card by calling customer care at 100. Safaricom introduced Jitambulishe voice biometrics aimed at simplifying the customer’s authentication process before accessing services, SIM replacement included. Ensure you enroll your voice by calling 100,200 or 234 to prevent a SIM swap.

The new way of preventing SIM swaps is by dialing *100*100# from your Safaricom SIM card. It is a free service in which activation means that nobody else can replace your line, only you, and attempts to do it lead to a temporary blocking for safety reasons.

 

 

Fares From September 2023 – Guardian Angel Buses Kenya

Parts of Kenya, from Nairobi through Nakuru to Kisumu and Kakamega, are among a network of routes served by the Guardian Coach, known for its Guardian Angel buses.

Many of the Guardian Angel routes run all night, delivering an effective and efficient transport service to all those travelers who wish to travel throughout the seasons.

As the country’s economy continues to grow with the population, people need transport services to match, and the Guardian Coach is determined to bridge all the gaps in the sector. It says its successes are thanks to “expertise, reliability and professional drivers” aside from the ease of booking the Guardian Angel’s buses online, convenient payment methods, and financially sustainable ticket prices.

How to book Guardian Angel bus tickets online and pay with Mpesa

The online booking process of Guardian Angel is easy. It can be done on the Guardian Coach Booking App or its website, whereby you can search bus schedules, compare prices, and get tickets to your destination after paying through Mpesa. Here is how to go about it;

1. Visit theguardian.co.ke
2. On the homepage, navigate to the booking form in the mid-website and fill in your departure and destination in the ‘from’ and ‘to’ sections


3. Enter your traveling date and hit search to view bus schedules
4. In the Scheduled departure results, select your most suitable Guardian Angel bus and click ‘Book Seats’
5. Departure information will open. Check departure time, type of bus and choose your preferred seat
6. In the Passenger Details, enter your name, contact, ID number, and nationality, then click ‘Proceed to payment’

How to pay for Guardian Coach tickets with Mpesa

After getting to the sixth step above, do not shut down the browser used to book the bus. This is what you will do to guarantee a successful booking;

7. Temporarily, exit the Guardian Coach booking website by pressing the home button. Now go to the Safaricom SIM toolkit to pay your bus fare using Mpesa
8. Select Lipa na Mpesa, Pay Bill option
9. Guardian Angel buses use Mpesa pay bill number 308900. Key it
10. Enter the Account no. as ‘TICKET’
11. Enter the required fare as displayed in the booking portal
12. Enter your Mpesa PIN and wait for the confirmation message

Completing the Guardian Coach online booking process

13. After getting the Mpesa message confirming your payment, copy the Mpesa code, also known as Transaction ID, and return to your browser by single-clicking on its icon on your phone
14. Enter the phone number used to pay for the bus fare in the Cellphone Number category
15. In the MPESA Transaction ID section, copy the Mpesa code and click ‘Submit Booking’ to get your bus ticket

After a minute or so, you will receive a message from Guardian Coach with your bus ticket number and departure details. It may be followed up by a call from its customer representative using phone number 0722221290.

You can use the e-ticket to catch the Guardian Angel bus on the departure date.

Latest Guardian Angel bus fares

The Guardian Coach of Guardian Angel buses are cost-effective, starting at an average of Ksh1,000, but it depends on the distance of travel. For instance, Nairobi to Kisii costs Ksh1,200, Busia to Nairobi Ksh1,400, the same as Nairobi to Maseno and Kisumu to Kenya’s capital.

How much does Guardian Angel bus fare cost in 2023?

Traveling from To Single ticket cost
Busia Nairobi Ksh1,400
Nairobi Kisii Ksh1,000
Kakamega Nairobi Ksh1,400
Eldoret Nairobi Ksh1,400
Eldoret Nakuru Ksh1,400
Kisumu Nairobi Ksh1,400
Nairobi Kakamega Ksh1,400
Narok Nairobi Ksh1,200
Nairobi Maseno Ksh1,400
Nairobi Matunda Ksh1,400
Nairobi Malaba Ksh1,400
Kitale Nairobi Ksh1,400
Nairobi Homa Bay Ksh1,200
Nairobi Moi’s Bridge Ksh1,400
Bungoma Nairobi Ksh1,400
Luanda Nairobi Ksh1,400
Kapsabet Nairobi Ksh1,400
Nakuru Kisumu Ksh1,400

The table above shows the new bus fares you will pay before traveling with Guardian Angel buses from September 2023. They are single bus ticket costs for one-way journeys.

READ: Get Tahmeed Bus Tickets Online in Kenya

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