Safaricom has rolled out the Greater Western edition of its nationwide M-Pesa Sokoni Festival, celebrating 18 years since the mobile money service reshaped Kenya’s financial and digital space.

The regional leg, launched this week, is set to spark a series of interactive events across western Kenya, culminating in a grand celebration on August 2 at Mambo Leo Stadium in Kisumu.

The week-long initiative will combine business empowerment, community forums and cultural showcases, with Safaricom aiming to highlight the reach and impact of M-Pesa on everyday lives.

The Sokoni Festival, now in its latest regional tour, offers a platform for direct engagement between the telco and its customers—young entrepreneurs, small business owners, women’s groups and even bodaboda riders.

Explaining the intent behind the festival, Safaricom CEO Dr. Peter Ndegwa said the platform was about engaging meaningfully with the people who use M-Pesa every day.

Read More

  1. Bungoma Media FC clinches Safaricom 5-Aside crown in Western Region thriller
  2. Greg Snow stunningly swings away with the Limuru Leg of the PGK Equator Tour
  3. Safaricom firms on Sh48 billion dividend payout as market value tops Sh1 trillion

"Since its inception, M-Pesa has transformed how millions of Kenyans access, move, grow and protect their money," Ndegwa stated.

According to Ndegwa, the company is engaging directly with its customers through the Sokoni Festival.

"This is how we honour our customers by walking beside them, listening and offering real tools and solutions that make business and life easier," he said.

Events kick off on July 29 with the Safaricom Hook Circle, a youth-centred workshop at Siaya National Polytechnic.

The session will offer training in high-demand vocational skills, including plumbing, electronics, hospitality, fashion, and beauty, to enable young people to become economically self-reliant.

Simultaneously, a digital and financial literacy session under the Safire Connect banner will convene youth from Kisumu, focused on nurturing financially savvy digital natives.

On July 30, women’s empowerment takes centre stage through the Wezesha Mama initiative, which will host women’s groups across the region to discuss access to digital finance, business support and community development.

Bodaboda riders—who have become crucial players in regional commerce will receive dedicated sessions on road safety, financial tools and first aid, underlining Safaricom’s push to empower not just users but also service providers in the informal sector.

Come July 31, the spotlight will shift to M-Pesa agents with the Regional M-Pesa Agent Awards, honouring individuals who have played a critical role in deepening financial inclusion in western Kenya.

On the business front, the Grow with Safaricom Business Forum will bring together Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and regional partners for a dialogue on how technology can streamline operations, boost efficiency, and unlock new growth.

The final day, August 2, will see the festivities culminate in a vibrant celebration at Kisumu’s Mambo Leo Stadium, combining “deals by day” and a public concert for audiences aged 18 and over.

This closing ceremony aims to be both an appreciation of M-Pesa’s journey and a reaffirmation of its grassroots impact.

As the festival makes its way across the region, Safaricom continues to position M-Pesa not just as a tool for transactions, but as a driver of social and economic progress.

By focusing on inclusion, education, and enterprise, the Greater Western Sokoni Festival illustrates the broader role digital finance can play in fostering prosperity across Kenya’s underserved communities.