After five days of the M-PESA Sokoni Caravan across the Western and Nyanza regions, Safaricom on Saturday treated residents to a vibrant M-PESA Sokoni Festival at the Mamboleo Stadium in Kisumu.

The festival brought together over 100 local businesses in a lively market-style setting to celebrate M-PESA at 18 years and offering wide range of deals dubbed “deals kuruka” that attracted customers shopping for discounted devices, electronics, household items, beauty and fashion products, travel packages, and more.

“Merchants play a critical role in driving our local economy, they are the backbone of our communities, creating jobs, offering essential goods and services, and powering everyday transactions. Their success is our collective success,” said Esther Waititu, Chief Financial Services at Safaricom PLC.

The event marked the M-PESA 18th anniversary celebration in the two regions with customers walking away with different gifts including shopping vouchers, electronics, Smartphones, among other surprises. 

Throughout the tour, Safaricom has been engaging its customers, celebrating its 50 million customers’ milestone ahead of its 25th birthday in October this year.

“On a typical day, I sell around ten pairs, but today I have nearly tripled that, maybe even more. I have gained new customers, and I can confidently say I am a happy man. As you can see, more customers are still coming in to support my business,” said Felix Kamadi, shoe vendor.

A highlight of the day was the “M-PESA or the Box” game, which saw customers winning exciting prizes, with Cynthia Meyo from Kisumu emerging as the grand prize winner of KES180,000. 

Later in the evening, residents were treated to electrifying performances by top Kenya artists including Apesi, Ssaru, Meja, King Kaka, Musa Jakadala, Khaligraph Jones, and Coster Ojwang. 

Through musical concerts, Safaricom continues to demonstrate its commitment as one of the biggest supporters of Kenya’s music and arts industry, empowering local talent, celebrating culture, and creating platforms that bring Kenyans together.

The weeklong celebration featured a variety of activities, including a caravan tour across major towns in the Western and Nyanza regions, vibrant market activations, the Safire Connect forum for agri-entrepreneurs, the Wezesha Mama programme, the “Grow with Safaricom” Business Forum, the M-PESA Agent Awards, and Safaricom Hook, a youth-focused initiative held in Siaya and Mbale.

After a successful tour of the Greater Western region, the caravan now heads to Nairobi next week, which will also mark the culmination of the M-PESA Sokoni regional tours.

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