Safaricom unveils first Garissa Shangwe@25 Sh1 million winner

Abdi Hassan, when he was unveiled as the winner./STEPHEN ASTARIKO

Abdi Hassan, when he was unveiled as the winner./STEPHEN ASTARIKO

Abdi Hassan, a turn boy in Garissa, is the first lucky winner of Sh1 million in the ongoing Safaricom's Shangwe@25 promotion.

Speaking at Garissa’s livestock market, Hassan, who hails from Holugho subcounty, said he was working on a vehicle when he received the good news call. He said he plans to build a house for his parents and start a business with the cash reward.

“I was busy working on fitting a tarpaulin on a vehicle when I received a call from Safaricom informing me that I had won Sh1 million. At first, I could not believe it. I am very happy that I will build a house for my parents and start my own business,” he said.

“I will also support a school with water tanks and desks with the Sh250,000 for community support.” 

Since its launch, Shangwe @25 has been rewarding thousands of customers daily and weekly with cash prizes, data bundles, devices and business support tools.

Each week, more than 800 customers win amounts of Sh10,000, Sh50,000 and Sh100,000, contributing to more than 50,000 weekly winners. More than five million customers are expected to win prizes worth Sh250 million over the promotion period.

Customers can participate by transacting on M-Pesa, sending money, paying with M-Pesa, using or redeeming Bonga Points, or purchasing Safaricom products such as data bundles, voice bundles, digital services or home fibre subscriptions.

Safaricom also launched a Sharia-compliant Lipa Pole Pole phone product to enable the Muslim community to acquire smartphones with daily flexible payments for one year.

According to Safaricom’s Athman Ahmed, customers will access the phones with only Sh1,000 deposit and pay the balance for 365 days.

“We have launched a Sharia-compliant product, where we have partnered with Onfon mobile to sell phones on Lipa Pole Pole where the customers can be able to pay a deposit of Sh1,000 and pay the balance in instalments of Sh55 within 365 days,” Ahmed said.

“We have many Muslims in the country but many of the products are not favourable in our religion. As Safaricom, we have sat down with Maulamaas and Islamic scholars and leaders to come up with a product which will be acceptable for Muslims,” he added.