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The Data Protection Commissioner warns that security guards and cashiers have no legal right to demand to see your M-Pesa SMS, terming it a violation of privacy.

It is a ritual every Kenyan knows: you pay for fuel, groceries, or a meal, and before you can leave, a security guard demands to see your phone to "confirm" the M-Pesa message. According to the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC), this common practice is illegal and a violation of your privacy.
Data Commissioner Immaculate Kassait has clarified that merchants and security firms have no legal basis to demand access to your personal device. The M-Pesa SMS contains sensitive financial data, including your balance, which is private property protected under the Data Protection Act of 2019.
The ODPC notes that the merchant receives their own confirmation message. Demanding to see the customer’s phone is essentially a lack of trust in their own internal systems.
As digital payments become the norm, data hygiene is critical. Kenyans are urged to politely decline such requests and read out the code instead. Your phone is your bank branch; you wouldn't let a stranger walk into the bank manager's office, so don't let them into your inbox.
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