Terms of Service

1. Who we are

Pesa Mtandao is a payments platform operated in Kenya. These Terms govern your use of the Pesa Mtandao customer wallet, merchant acceptance services, savings goals (Pesa Akiba), group savings (Chama), bill payments, and airtime top-up.

When we say "we", "us", or "Pesa Mtandao", we mean the operator of this platform. When we say "you" we mean the holder of a Pesa Mtandao account.

2. Who can open an account

• You must be at least 18 years old.
• You must be a resident of Kenya with a valid Kenyan national ID, passport, or alien ID.
• You must provide accurate personal information. Giving false information is grounds for immediate closure of your account and may be reported to the authorities.
• One person, one account. Operating multiple personal accounts is not permitted unless we have specifically authorised it (for example, a separate business/merchant account).

3. How your account is activated

You apply online by submitting your details. Your account is not active until you visit a Pesa Mtandao branch in person with your original ID, sign the in-branch declaration, and a branch officer activates the account. Until then, the account is in "pending" state and cannot send or receive money.

We may request additional documents (proof of address, source of funds, recent photograph) at any time as part of Know-Your-Customer (KYC) requirements set by the Central Bank of Kenya and applicable law.

4. Your PIN and account security

• Your 4–6 digit PIN authenticates every transaction. Treat it like cash.
• Never share your PIN with anyone — including Pesa Mtandao staff, branch officers, or anyone claiming to call from us. We will never ask for your PIN.
• If you suspect someone knows your PIN, change it immediately at /account/change-pin.php or visit any branch.
• You are responsible for transactions made with your PIN until you tell us it has been compromised. Once you report it, we will block the account immediately and review pending transactions.
• Five wrong PIN attempts in a row will lock your account. Visit any branch or use the "Forgot PIN" flow to reset it.

5. Money in your account

Money in your Pesa Mtandao wallet is held on your behalf in a regulated trust account at a licensed Kenyan bank. It is not a deposit and does not earn interest. You can withdraw the balance at any branch during operating hours, subject to availability of cash float at that branch.

Funds held in Pesa Akiba goals are part of the same wallet balance — locking funds in a goal restricts when you can spend them but does not move them to a separate trust.

6. Transactions and limits

Daily, monthly, and per-transaction limits apply to every Pesa Mtandao account. The applicable limit depends on your KYC tier:

• Basic — minimum-KYC accounts (national ID only). Lower limits.
• Standard — full KYC (ID + proof of address verified). Higher limits.
• Enhanced — full KYC + source-of-funds documentation. Highest limits.

Your current tier and remaining capacity are shown on the KYC page in your account. We may decline a transaction that would exceed your limit, and we may ask you to upgrade your KYC tier to continue.

We may also decline or delay any transaction we believe to be fraudulent, illegal, or in breach of these Terms, including pending review of a sanctions or anti-money-laundering check.

7. Fees

Current fees are published at our branches and on this website's fee schedule (link to be confirmed). We will give you at least 30 days' notice before changing fees. By continuing to use your account after the change, you accept the new fees.

8. Disputes and reversals

If you send money to the wrong number or amount:

• Within 24 hours: file a dispute at /account/dispute.php. Our operations team reviews same-day during business hours and can reverse the transaction if the recipient has not yet withdrawn the funds.
• After 24 hours: the beyond-24h dispute flow at /account/dispute-block.php applies. Reversal is no longer automatic — we may need to contact the recipient and resolution can take up to 14 business days.

For bill payments to the wrong account, file at /account/bill-dispute.php. We will attempt reconciliation with the biller; outcomes depend on the biller's policy.

9. Things you must not do

• Use the account for any illegal purpose under Kenyan law, including but not limited to money laundering, terrorist financing, fraud, tax evasion, bribery, or unlicensed gambling.
• Receive or send funds on behalf of another person without our prior written authorisation.
• Reverse-engineer, scrape, or attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the platform.
• Use the account to harass, threaten, or defraud another person.
• Misrepresent your identity, residency, or source of funds.

We are required by Kenyan law to report suspicious transactions to the Financial Reporting Centre.

10. If your account is suspended or closed

We may suspend or close your account if we reasonably believe you have breached these Terms, if required to do so by law or a court order, or if your account has been dormant for more than seven years (in which case the balance is transferred to the Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority of Kenya in line with the Unclaimed Financial Assets Act, 2011).

You can close your account at any time by visiting a branch. We will return any remaining balance to you in cash or to a nominated bank account, subject to any pending disputes or holds.

11. Our liability

We are not liable for losses caused by:

• You sharing your PIN, phone, or login credentials with another person.
• Network outages or events outside our reasonable control.
• Transactions you authorised, even if you later regret them.
• Delays or failures of third parties we rely on (mobile network operators, banks, billers).

Our maximum liability for any single dispute is limited to the amount of the transaction in question, except where Kenyan law provides otherwise.

12. Changes to these terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated by SMS or email at least 30 days before they take effect. Your continued use of the account after the change date means you accept the updated Terms.

13. Governing law and disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of Kenya. Any dispute arising under them shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Kenya. Before going to court, you agree to first contact us in good faith to attempt resolution.

14. How to reach us

Email: support@pesamtandao.com
In person: any Pesa Mtandao branch during operating hours
Online: /account/help.php from inside your account

For data-protection enquiries see our Privacy Policy.