Former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has publicly criticised Safaricom, Kenya’s leading telecommunications provider, after claiming that 45 minutes of purchased airtime was depleted in just 10 minutes of real-time usage, raising questions about the company’s airtime calculation methods.
In a viral post on X on August 6, 2025, Sonko questioned, “What clock does Safaricom use?” sparking widespread debate among Kenyans about the accuracy of Safaricom’s billing system.
The incident follows similar complaints from users, including a 2021 Reddit post where a customer lost 13 minutes of airtime and KES 25 credit after a 47-minute call, highlighting ongoing concerns about airtime discrepancies.
Sonko, known for his outspoken social media presence, detailed his frustration, stating he purchased a flexible talk-time bundle via *444#, expecting 45 minutes, only to find it exhausted after a brief call.
He accused Safaricom of unfair practices, suggesting their system might deduct airtime faster than real-time usage, a sentiment echoed by X users like @MeranSays, who criticised Safaricom’s monopoly over services like M-Pesa and called for transparency.
The controversy comes amid broader scrutiny of Safaricom’s operations, with a Business Daily report noting a five-fold increase in network outages to 19.3 minutes weekly in 2024 due to power blackouts, potentially affecting service reliability.
Sonko’s claims align with a 2024 Trustpilot review where a user reported unexpected deductions, labelling Safaricom’s practices as “extortionist.”
Safaricom’s flexible talk-time bundles, introduced in 2021, allow users to purchase minutes with no expiry on certain plans, but the terms prioritise bundle usage over main account credit, as outlined on their website.
Dialling *144# or *544# enables users to check balances, yet many, including Sonko, report discrepancies between displayed balances and actual usage.
USSD codes like 1444# or 1310# track Okoa Jahazi and bundle usage, but Sonko’s experience suggests potential calculated system errors or unclear communication.
On X, users like @Briankariu referenced past M-Pesa outages caused by a bottleneck at a Kasarani router, hinting at possible technical glitches affecting airtime systems.
Safaricom’s customer care, reachable via *100# or +254 7222 002 100, has been criticised for deflecting complaints, with a Reddit user claiming agents attributed losses to background data, despite no data usage.
The airtime discrepancy issue raises broader questions about Safaricom’s billing transparency, especially as the company earns significant revenue from voice services.
A 2024 report revealed that over half of Safaricom’s voice usage, generating KES 39.75 billion, comes from loaned airtime, reverse calls, and free promotions like the 3-second free call, indicating heavy reliance on innovative offerings to offset declining voice revenue.
Sonko’s public outcry, amplified by his 1.2 million X followers, has reignited calls for regulatory oversight by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), which reduced mobile termination rates to KES 0.41 per minute in 2024, impacting voice revenue further.
Other users have also complained about Safaricom altering bundle offers, removing affordable options like KES 100 daily 1GB plans for loyal subscribers, adding to perceptions of unfair practices.
Safaricom’s response to Sonko’s allegations remains pending, but their 2021 strategy shift toward “Simple, Transparent, and Honest” services, as stated by former CEO Michael Joseph, promised improved customer experiences.
Yet, persistent complaints about airtime deductions, echoed in a Trustpilot review claiming unexpected charges on fixed data services, suggest gaps in implementation.
