Software developer Samuel Wanjohi has lost a KSh 1.1 billion case against the controversy-ridden Safaricom after the High Court ruled in the company’s favour.
Wanjohi, the founder of Popote Innovations, claimed Safaricom used his ideas to create the M-Pesa Super App and the M-Pesa Business App. He said that in 2018, he shared plans for a mobile payment system called Popote Pay with Safaricom, hoping to work together.
According to him, Safaricom later dropped the collaboration and launched similar apps without including him or paying for his work.
In 2024, an arbitrator agreed with Wanjohi and ordered Safaricom to pay him KSh 1.1 billion. The ruling said Safaricom had benefited from Popote’s ideas when developing the M-Pesa apps.
Safaricom challenged the decision in court, arguing there was no signed contract between the two parties. The company said the award was unfair because the discussion never became an official agreement or investment.
The High Court agreed. The judge ruled that the arbitrator’s decision lacked evidence and that the payout went against public policy. The court said the KSh 1.1 billion award was based on an unsigned and invalid contract.
As a result, Wanjohi will not receive the money, and Safaricom retains full rights to the M-Pesa Super App and the M-Pesa Business App.
This is not the first time Safaricom has faced such claims. Another man, Jonathan Murangiri Gikabu, once sued the company for KSh 209 million, saying it used his idea for M-Pesa 1 Tap. His case was also dismissed for lack of proof.
By Vivian K.