Safaricom is facing a lawsuit for alleged infringement of intellectual property related to its planned launch of a product similar to one innovated by Peter Nthei Muoki and Beluga Ltd.
Mr. Muoki claims that he shared his invention with Safaricom officials in 2021 and later found that the company was developing a similar product without his consent.
He has sued Safaricom and Huawei Technologies (Kenya), alleging that they intended to launch a product called ‘Manage Child Account,’ which bears a striking resemblance and functionality to his ‘M-Teen Account,’ designed for individuals aged 13-24 to enhance parental control over spending.
In November 2022, the rogue Telco launched M-PESA Go.
M-PESA Go is targeted at children between the ages of ten and 17, supplying them with different services to manage their money digitally.
More on Safaricom’s Thefts
IP Watch Article: Intellectual Property Theft By Corporations in Kenya