One of the most common fraudulent activities by Mpesa agents is Split Deposit.
While it doesn’t affect the person depositing the money, the agent ends up with more commission.
What is Split Deposit?
Split Deposit is where an Mpesa agent deposits smaller amounts of money into a customer’s Mpesa account multiple times over the course of a day or week, as opposed to depositing one large amount at once.
The aim is to increase the Mpesa agent’s commission.
Some customers also request this when withdrawing funds to avoid the fees associated with the Mpesa transactions.
Safaricom is against this practice. The company states that if a deposit or withdrawal can be done in one transaction, then the Mpesa agent should avoid multiple transactions.
What Are The Penalties For Split Deposit?
Split depositing comes with hefty penalties, including:
The account can be suspended. According to Safaricom terms and conditions, your Mpesa number or Mpesa agent line can be suspended if they prove that it’s used for fraudulent activities. For example, a Split Deposit offense, can lead to penalties like:
Clawback of commission earned through split depositing
Suspension of your account and outlet for one or three months
Termination of the Mpesa agent’s contract
Blacklisting of Mpesa agent
Criminal prosecution if clawback of commissions is not possible: An Mpesa agent risks jail time. Split deposit is outlawed by Safaricom. So partaking in it is a criminal offense. Safaricom can sue you and if found guilty, you could serve the sentence.
How Does Safaricom Detect Split Depositing?
Some Mpesa agents engage in split depositing thinking that they cannot be caught.
Well, Safaricom only needs to do a simple data analysis of your agent number and they’ll detect you.
Remember that any transaction an Mpesa agent does is saved in Safaricom servers. So, retrieving that data is very easy.
The certificate of good conduct is a requirement for any job-seeking Kenyan because most private and government employers seek to know about a potential employee’s criminal record before hiring them.
The certificate is the document that distinguishes law-abiding citizens from lawbreakers before the eyes of potential employers.
Applying for the certificate of good conduct is a seamless process, not complicated as before.
Kenyans can apply for the certificate at the CID headquarters along Kiambu Road or Huduma Centres Countrywide.
They can alternatively download application forms from the e-citizen portal, pay the required fee of Ksh1050 payment, and present all the necessary documents at the DCI offices.
A fingerprint form is used to record applicants’ fingerprints, and they must wait between two weeks and one month to pick up the certificate.
After How Long Does the Certificate of Good Conduct Expire?
The certificate of good conduct expires after one year, counted from the day of printing.
The certificate’s one-year expiry seeks to capture individuals that may have committed crimes within that period.
When these persons renew their certificates, the records will show up.
How to know if Your Certificate of Good Conduct is Valid and What to do if it Expires?
The validity of a good conduct certificate lasts one year, as mentioned above, and should be renewed each year to maintain its validity.
The renewal process is similar to the application and costs a thousand bob. It can be done at the DCI’s office or Huduma Centre.
The renewal is also possible through the e-citizen portal, but applicants should present themselves to the relevant offices for fingerprint recording and processing.
Some employers may consider a certificate updated three years ago.
To be on the safe side, those who are actively job-hunting should ensure that your certificate is always updated.
What are the Requirements for Renewing a Certificate of Good Conduct?
Since the renewal process takes similar steps as when applying for the first time, you need the same documents. They are as follows:
Original birth certificate for individuals below 18 years old
Valid work permits for foreigners
Ksh1000 or Ksh1050 for the renewal process at the CID offices or via e-citizen
The renewal process can occur online, at the DCI office, huduma center, or police station.
It is important to note that online renewal or application is only half the full process, and applicants must visit the physical office for fingerprint recording.
Foreigners cannot apply for or renew the certificate online and must present themselves at the DCI’s office.
The teaching profession is one of the most sought careers in Kenya.
Teaching graduates can work in private schools before securing the coveted permanent and pensionable employment by the Teachers Service Commission.
However, not all form four leavers are fortunate to study their preferred teaching course because of their mean grades.
In this case, students who scored D plain in the last year’s KCSE exam can only enroll for the ECDE certificate teaching course.
ECDE Certificate Course with a D Plain
The eligibility to study the ECDE Certificate program requires students to have a minimum mean grade of D plain, KNEC Proficiency Certificate, or ECDE Certificate from KNEC.
Students partaking in an ECDE certificate course receive training on facilitating children’s physical, social, emotional, moral, and spiritual well-being.
Trainees are also expected to identify children’s strengths and weaknesses and deploy necessary strategies that benefit all of them.
Additionally, ECDE teachers should collaborate with parents for the well-being of the pupils.
The ECDE certificate course takes 18 months-2 years.
Where to Study ECDE Certificate Course
Eligible students can enroll in the certificate teaching program in various teaching colleges, universities, and institutes across Kenyan counties.
The course is relatively inexpensive, requiring trainees to part with at least 12,000 per holiday session.
Other charges may apply, such as uniforms, accommodation, medical, and training materials.
ECDE certificate teachers earn between 10,000-20,000 per month. Some private schools pay more than 20,000.
More importantly, upgrading to a diploma or degree course after completing a certificate can attract higher pay.
Students who scored a D minus in the recently released KCSE results and wanted to pursue a medical course may feel that their mean grade doesn’t stand a chance in the health sector.
The good news is that the health sector has a wide range of courses to choose from, and D Minus candidates have a chance to be part of it.
However, there are few course options for a D minus mean grade.
Medical Courses with a D minus
Currently, D Minus mean grade candidates only have one medical course to study; Certificate in Health Support Service.
The course seeks to empower trainees with hands-on practical skills to enable them to perform different tasks in hospitals and communities.
The program is examined by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA).
Upon course completion, you can work as a gardener, ward assistant, cleaner, caterer, store person, hospital assistant, or any other capacity covered in the course outline.
It is a short course that only takes one year.
The fee may vary in different medical schools. For example, The Nairobi Women’s Hospital College’s fee amounts to 85,000 for the one-year-long program.
Regarding the salary to expect, it depends on where you will get employed; a private or public hospital or homes for the elderly.
Upon finishing the certificate course, you can register for a diploma to increase your chances of getting a better salary.
Where to Study Health Support Services Certificate
Among schools you can enroll for this course include:
Outspan Medical College in Nyeri
Imperial College of Medical and Health Sciences in Thika
Tricent School of Medical Health Sciences and Technology in Nairobi
The Nairobi Women’s Hospital College in Nairobi
Sister Leonella Consolate Medical College in Nyeri
Zenka is one of the most reliable and popular loan apps in Kenya right now.
Loan apps provide quick financial help for eligible applicants, but their interest rates make them expensive.
Also, most apps have short loan repayment periods that most Kenyans find unreasonable.
This has made many applicants default on their loans and risk being listed on the Credit Reference Bureau.
The chances of successfully applying for other loans after being listed on CRB are minimal, and loan apps use it as a threat to coerce loan defaulters to settle their debts.
However, the CRB effect took a break in 2020 to cushion borrowers from harsh economic times when the Corona pandemic was at its peak.
The CBK barred most digital lenders from listing their customers on the site, including the Zenka loan app.
The question remains, is the CRB ban still in effect, or loan apps like Zenka can comfortably list their customers on CRB in 2023?
Zenka Can List Defaulters with Over 1,000 Debt on CRB
The 2020 CRB listing suspension was temporary, and the CBK has since set new rules for CRB listing.
Digital lenders like Zenka can submit loan defaulters’ details to CRB, but they must notify them the first 30 days before and after forwarding their details.
The notification can be in electronic form (sms, email, etc.) or writing.
However, loan defaulters with a debt of less than 1,000 cannot be listed on CRB according to the CBK’s new rules.
Zenka uses three credit reference bureaus, namely; Metropol, TransUnion, and CreditInfo, to report and check applicants’ details.
So can Zenka list you on CRB?
Well, Zenka will not hesitate to forward your details to the CRB after exhausting all other means of encouraging you to repay your loan.
But you don’t have to worry because Zenka offers flexible loan repayment plans.
You are safe from CRB listing if you commit to repaying the loan, even in small amounts.
Emmanuel Mwashumbe is no longer a presenter at Radio Maisha.
Mwashumbe, Billy Miya, and Mwalimu Mbaruk, all of whom are hosts at Radio Maisha, officially announced their departure from the station on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2023.
According to insiders at the media house, the trio is set to embark on a new journey at Radio 47, an upcoming radio station affiliated with TV47.
Mwashumbe is a popular radio presenter, thanks to his breakfast show on Radio Maisha, known as ‘Maisha Asubuhi,‘ which airs every weekday from 6 to 10 AM. His co-host at the show is Shuga boy (Ally Mwayongwe).
Previously, these two presenters hosted Radio Maisha’s evening drive show from 4 to 7 PM.
They have managed to capture and retain a significant number of loyal listeners—their show usually trends on Twitter whenever they are on air.
Emmanuel Mwashumbe’s Salary
All the true Kenyan Rhumba music fans recognize Mwashumbe since he used to host the KTN Home Rhumba show (Rasha Rasha) that aired every Saturday night from 10 to 12 PM.
He is a renowned rhumba music enthusiast and occasionally hosts Rhumba nights at various festivals and nightclub events in Nairobi.
This genre of music usually attracts the country’s mature generation, unlike other types of music niches favored by younger audiences.
Therefore, most Rhumba events are usually highly-priced in terms of entrance fees since most audiences are financially stable.
Most of the rhumba festivals’ lowest entry fee ranges from Ksh. 2000 to Ksh.5000, while VIP tickets are from Ksh.10, 000 to Ksh.15, 000.
It means that whenever Emmanuel Mwashumbe appears as the Rhumba event’s MC, he is assured of receiving a significant pay estimated to be from KSH.50, 000 to Ksh.100, 000 per show.
Due to his influence in the entertainment sector (especially Rhumba), their morning show’s popularity, and his vast experience in the radio sector since he is also a producer at Radio Maisha, he is among the well-paid presenters on the station.
Although he tries to keep this information private, we have credible information from reliable sources revealing that Mwashumbe receives an estimated gross salary of Ksh.600, 000.
Below is a comprehensive analysis of his salary based on the latest KRA calculations and remunerations:
Gross Pay
600,000
Non-Cash Benefits
0.00
NHIF
1700
NSSF
1080
Taxable Income
597,220
PAYE
172,383.35
Net Pay
424,836.65
Interested in knowing what other media personalities earn? Check the following posts:
Mwalimu Mbaruk is no longer a presenter at Radio Maisha.
Mbaruk, Billy Miya, and Emmanuel Mwashumbe, all of whom are hosts at Radio Maisha, officially announced their departure from the station on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2023.
According to insiders at the media house, the trio is set to embark on a new journey at Radio 47, an upcoming radio station affiliated with TV47.
Mwalimu Mbaruk is a multi-talented Radio Maisha presenter, co-hosting the station’s Maji Makuu show which airs from 8 PM to 12 AM (alongside Babu Wakasiaka).
Besides being a producer and a voice-over personality, Mwalimu is a video director, scriptwriter (credited for writing the Saida TV show’s script), and events MC.
He has an extensive experience in the country’s radio industry since he initially served as Milele FM’s presenter on the station’s Breakfast show.
Mwalimu also hosted Baraka FM’s morning and evening drive shows.
Mwalimu Mbaruk’s Salary
It is evident that Mwalimu is a radio guru, which makes him one of Kenya’s most renowned Kiswahili presenters.
Mbaruk’s charming personality and vast experience have enabled him to maintain a large following of listeners that follow him on any media station he works for.
On November 2022, he was recognized as one of the country’s top 100 most influential and inspirational Kenyan Muslim media personalities.
He even posted the award certificate on his Instagram account, proving he is among the best.
All these factors have made him a highly valuable asset in any media station he decides to work for.
Therefore, it’s obvious that to retain his services and prevent other stations from poaching him, the station has to pay Mwalimu an impressive salary since he is worth it.
Mwalimu Mbaruk receives a gross salary of Ksh. 550,000 at Radio Maisha, but it’s essential to note that this is not his only source of income.
As stated earlier, he is a multi-talented person with plenty of lucrative jobs that earn him significant amounts of money.
For instance, as a scriptwriter, he was able to pocket a cool Ksh.150, 000 from the Kenyan telenovela TV show, Saida.
He earns approximately Ksh.30, 000 to Ksh.70, 000 as an event MC and can make at least Ksh.100, 000 on his side hustle as a film director.
Although the exact amount paid as a voice-over artist in adverts is unknown, it is estimated to be at least Ksh. 50,000 per advert.
In 2019, he acquired a brand new fuel-guzzler vehicle (Land Cruiser TX).
He also confessed that during his wedding, which was on March 2021, he spent approximately Ksh.3 million, which proves that he is a man with deep pockets.
Below is a comprehensive breakdown of his monthly salary according to the latest KRA calculations:
Gross Pay
550,000
Non-Cash Benefits
0.00
NHIF
1700
NSSF
1080
Taxable Income
547,220
PAYE
157,383.35
Net Pay
389,836.65
Interested in knowing what other media personalities earn? Check the following posts:
The story of Bonoko (James Kang’ethe Maina), who rose from the streets as a glue-sniffing urchin commonly referred to as ‘chokora’ to work for one of the most famous radio stations in Kenya and eventually became a household name, is a perfect description of the quote, ‘from rags to riches.’
He continues to be the modest man who rose to fame by telling the truth, as an eyewitness, about how an innocent butcher was killed and had a fake gun referred to as “bonoko” placed by the police to incriminate him.
The nickname (Bonoko) stuck like glue, and he decided to adopt the name since most Kenyans remembered him from the incident as it went viral.
Bonoko Deh’s Salary
Bonoko started working as a trainee at Ghetto Radio’s ‘Goteana Show’ previously hosted by Mbusii, his mentor, alongside Lion Deh.
Their show gained nationwide popularity and is still credited as the pioneer of ‘Sheng’ broadcasting radio programs in Kenya.
Unfortunately, the other two presenters, Mbusii and Lion, left the station.
However, Bonoko proved his loyalty to the Media Company, which transformed him from a nobody to a reputable media personality by refusing a competitive radio station’s lucrative offer.
Fortunately, with the departure of the two presenters, Mbusii and Lion, Bonoko was ready to assume the role of a host.
That is how he ended up hosting the Goteana show alongside Dj. Bling.
The program airs every weekday from 3 PM to 7 PM.
Since he is now the main presenter of one of the country’s most famous afternoon shows, reliable sources from the media company have confirmed that he receives approximately Ksh.200, 000 in monthly wages.
Although he has never made this information public, he has confessed that he bought a new home and a car.
He also built a house for his mother in Muranga.
Bonoko has opened several car wash businesses in Nairobi, where he employs his former street urchin friends.
According to the latest estimates, a single car wash can generate a profit of at least Ksh.2000 to Ksh.5000 daily, depending on its location.
Below is a detailed breakdown of his salary from Ghetto radio:
Gross Pay
200,000
Non-Cash Benefits
0.00
NHIF
1700
NSSF
1080
Taxable Income
197,220
PAYE
52,383.35
Net Pay
144,836.65
Interested in knowing what other media personalities earn? Check the following posts:
Kashway is one of the most popular mobile lending apps in Kenya.
To get a loan, you need to download the app and create an account with your details, such as your ID number, and phone number.
You can get a loan of up to Ksh 50, 000 if you don’t default on your repayments.
What Happens When You Default On Your Kashway Loan?
Kashway sends you reminders to repay your loan two or three days before your due date.
If you fail to pay the loan on the due date, you start to automatically incur a 2-percentage charge of the total loan amount per day as a late payment fee.
If left for a long time, the late charge fee can accrue and become unbearable.
Before the CBK crack down on mobile lenders, Kashway could send your details to CRB for negative listing if you failed to repay your loan after the due date.
But after the Central Bank of Kenya reined in the mobile lenders’ abuse of power and lending rates, Kashway cannot do that.
CBK requires that Kashway informs you in writing or through electronic messaging about the CRB listing 30 days before sending your details to CRBs for a negative listing.
Also, when you default on your Kashway loan, it affects your ability to get another loan or an increase in your loan limit.
You also start getting numerous phone calls from Kashway loan recovery agents asking you to repay the loan. Some agents even threaten you with CRB listing and the sale of your assets.
It also looks like they don’t track loan repayments as, according to the reviews on their app, most customers complain that they repay their loans before the due date but still get messages and phone calls to repay their loans.
Kashway Loans Can Be Expensive
The downside to Kashway is that the loans are very expensive. They charge 25 – 36% interest on all loans.
This can be expensive, especially if you take a larger loan.
The repayment period is also short. Initially, you’ll have to repay your loan in 7 days.
If you take multiple loans and repay on time, they extend your repayment period to 14 days.
If you take the loans consistently and repay on time, the period is extended to one month.
A negative listing makes it hard to get loans from other mobile lenders as well as traditional lending institutions like Banks.
So, it’s a good idea to pay your loans before the due date.
The CRB listing bars an individual from accessing loans from other digital lenders as well as banks and Sacco’s.
Loans from mobile lenders face the highest risk of default since they’re usually short-term and unsecured.
Defaulting on a bank or Sacco loan comes with more serious consequences like auctioneers knocking at your door, loss of collateral or seizure of the asset financed by the institution.
More often than not, the asset is usually a car, business machinery, a parcel of land or a house.
Other consequences include lower credit rating and subsequent higher interest rates on future loans if the CRB clears the loan defaulter.
In the face of all these risks, however, a borrower is protected by a number of regulations and the laws of Kenya and has several ways to get reprieve in case they default on loan repayment.
Below is a detailed highlight of the rights of a loan defaulter in Kenya.
According to Business Daily Africa, this regulatory directive was effected in September 2022 following widespread outcry about the aggressive tactics used by digital lenders to recover their money from loan defaulters.
Right To Renegotiate Terms Through A Proclamation Notice
This applies in cases where an auctioneer has presented a notice of attachment of property to a debtor.
With the document, a defaulter can access a lawyer of reasonable caliber to help with negotiation for favorable rights.
If the negotiations go well, the defaulter can escape the auctioneer’s hammer.
The Right To Have A Lender Auction Your Collateral To The Highest Bidder
The Lands Act 2012 says it is illegal for a lender to auction a loan defaulter’s assets at throw away prices.
Proper valuation of the property in question must be done by a professional valuator.
Any auction price that falls below 75% of the market value is not acceptable.
Failure to adhere to this criteria will amount to violation of the law by the lender.
In the event that an auctioneer sells the chattels or property at above-the-market prices, the excess amount is pocketed by the defaulter.
The Right To A Fair Court Hearing
If a defaulter feels aggrieved by either the lender or the auctioneer, they can get redress from a court of law.
Court injunctions and property repossession orders can come in handy when a defaulter’s rights have been violated by a lender or their agent.
Winning a court battle against a lender can be rewarding since handsome amounts are paid in terms of damages.
However, the chance of winning or losing is an absolute gamble.
Therefore, it’s advisable to take a court case as the last resort to any disputes between a loan defaulter and a lender.
In Closing
It is of great importance for borrowers to familiarize oneself with the laws that govern lending in Kenya.
That way, in the event of a default, it will be easy to ensure that unscrupulous lenders or auctioneers do not exploit you for their selfish gains.
Many Kenyans have found themselves in protracted court battles that they end up losing simply because they took loans without familiarizing themselves with the relevant laws and regulations.
Also, avoiding unnecessary borrowing and living within one’s means is a sure bet to escape loan defaults.
It’s wise to borrow for non-recurrent expenditure like housing projects or car purchase rather than borrowing for recurrent like rent, buying groceries or travelling.
