On September 25, 2023, Safaricom’s M-Pesa mobile money transaction messages sparked some curiosity as they began with the alphabetical sequence “RIP,” a common abbreviation for “rest in peace.” Although many users might have overlooked this seemingly innocuous detail, a select few took notice and raised concerns about Safaricom allowing such codes to start with these particular letters. One of these individuals was Linda Oguttu, a former prime-time news anchor.
Linda Oguttu expressed her concerns by addressing Safaricom directly, stating, “Oya SafaricomPLC, Safaricom_Care. Mpesa codes cannot begin with RIP please….rukeni hiyo buana (skip those alphabets please),” earlier in the day.
In response to these concerns, Safaricom explained that the code generation process was automated and beyond their control, saying, “Hello Linda, unfortunately, it is automatically generated by the system hence we are not able to change it.”
This exchange turned somewhat playful as Linda jokingly asked Safaricom to “hand over the phone” to the system to resolve the issue. Safaricom, in a lighthearted manner, assured her by stating, “You are safe. No weapon formed shall prosper.”
However, some customers found Safaricom’s responses unsatisfactory and believed that the system could be adjusted. One user known as The Peasant Farmer suggested, “The system was programmed by a technician, and it can also be reprogrammed to skip the code.”
Another user, Sam NM KE, humorously remarked, “Bwana your system has gone rogue.”
Furthermore, some customers drew a comparison with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) in Kenya, which avoids issuing vehicle registration plates starting with “KDF,” commonly associated with the Kenya Defense Forces. Instead, NTSA uses “KDE” and “KDG” to avoid any association with these letters.
To shed light on Safaricom’s code generation process, a Kenyan user named Anagram254 attempted to explain it. According to Anagram254, “All M-Pesa codes for transactions made today start with RIP. R represents 2023. All M-Pesa codes next year will start with the letter S. I represents September. All M-Pesa codes next month will have the letter J as the second digit. P represents today’s date, 25.” This explanation aligns with the observed M-Pesa codes for September 26, 2023, which indeed began with “RIQ.”
In summary, Safaricom’s M-Pesa transaction codes generated a buzz when they started with “RIP” on September 25, 2023. Linda Oguttu and other users expressed their concerns about this sequence, but Safaricom explained that the system-generated codes couldn’t be altered. Despite the playful banter, some customers believed that adjustments could be made, drawing parallels with NTSA’s avoidance of certain letter combinations in vehicle registration plates. Anagram254 provided insights into Safaricom’s code generation process, shedding light on the meaning behind these codes.
