Gikomba Market Gives Birth to First ‘Maisha Ni M-PESA Tu’ Apartment Winner

A 32-year old James Njagi Waweru has been announced as the first winner of an apartment in the ongoing Maisha Ni M-PESA Tu promotion by Safaricom.

James is a metal artisan at the Gikomba Open Air Market.

In the ongoing promotion, customers and agents stand to win seven apartments in addition to daily and weekly prizes all worth over 300 million shillings.

The father of one received keys to his apartment earlier today at a colorful ceremony held at the flat’s location in Kahawa West, Nairobi. He was accompanied by his wife, daughter, fellow traders and Safaricom staff.

“M-PESA is convenient in our jua kali trade as the service enables us to receive payments from customers and to make payments for our business supplies. My frequent usage has contributed to my earning of multiple entries in the ongoing promotion. However, it was quite a surprise when I received the call from Safaricom that I had won the apartment,” said James Njagi.

The M-PESA promotion began three weeks ago with the more than 28.6 million customers and 150,000 agents earning points from qualifying transactions, which then go into weekly draws.

So far, more than 140,000 M-PESA customers have won daily and weekly instant cash prizes including 1000 shillings, 2,000 shillings, 5,000 shillings and 10,000 shillings. An additional 1,280 M-PESA agents have received weekly prizes of 10,000 shillings in float and airtime.

“We began this promotion to reward our customers for their loyalty over the last 11 years and to recognize them for their contribution in making M-PESA most successful mobile money service in the world. Today’s winner reflects the service’s ambition of transforming the lives of our customers,” said Sitoyo Lopokoiyit, Director – Financial Services, Safaricom.

Over the next six weeks, Safaricom will reward an additional six houses to six lucky customers, in addition to daily and weekly cash prizes to agents and customers.