Death is inevitable, and sometimes, when people die, they leave behind lots of money in their banks and other savings accounts.
As is the norm, many people do not disclose their PIN numbers to the people around them, which makes it hard to access the stuck funds in case of an eventuality.
Safaricom introduced a way on how family members can claim M-Pesa funds of a deceased Kin, and the documents required.
According to the telco, the claimant should visit any of its retail centers and provide certain documents for inspection and approval before any funds can be released.
The documents you will need for the M-Pesa funds include;
ID of claimant             Â
This is the national ID of the person claiming the deceased funds.
Death Certificate
This is a government document that proves that the person is deceased.
Statutory Declaration (Affidavit)
A document witnessed by an advocate commissioner for oaths stating certain facts including the claimant’s relation to the deceased.
Grant of Letters of Administration (interstate)
This is a legal document obtained from any probate & administration court. The same is issued after the court is satisfied that a person has the capacity to act as a legal representative to the estate of a deceased person who did not leave a will appointing a personal representative.
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Grant of Probate
This is a legal document issued by the court to an executor of the estate of a deceased person who left a will providing for what should happen to his estate and further appointing a personal representative (executor).
The appointed person will go to court with the will and supporting documents and obtain a Grant of Probate.
Confirmation of Grant of Probate or Confirmation of Grant of Letters of Administration
This is a document issued by a court naming the beneficiaries and documenting their entitlement to portions of the estate of the deceased.
Letter from the Provincial administration
This is a letter from the chief, DC, or PC confirming certain details about the deceased person and his beneficiaries.
The confirmation will include the full names of the deceased, the area where the deceased was from, and ALL the persons who are beneficiaries of the estate of the deceased.
The Process
Upon receiving notification of a subscriber’s death, Safaricom freezes his/her M-PESA account to prevent further dealings and protect the deceased’s estate.
Once all documents presented by the claimant are approved, the funds are transferred to the beneficiaries entitled to the M-PESA account balances.
The beneficiary must also provide a registered M-PESA account to receive the funds as Safaricom does not pay out money in any other form.
