Postal Corporation of Kenya sets up PostaPay App to boost digital payments
BERNADETTE KHADULI-KNA
The Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK) has introduced a unified mobile payment solution app, PostaPay, which complements other mobile apps used by Kenyans for money transactions.
The app is interoperable with all mobile wallets and banks in the country and has already registered over 5,000 users who are enjoying its benefits. To date, more than 21,000 transactions have been successfully completed.
Joan Toroitich, the General Manager for Payment Services at PCK, urged Kenyans to embrace the new app by downloading it from the Play Store or App Store using their existing SIM card lines.
Ms. Toroitich also high lighted that PostaPay is a payment solution aimed at supporting the government’s digital agenda by advancing efforts in digitization.
Postal Corporation strategic consultant Alice Gathoni demonstrating to the Director of Information, Joseph Kipkoech how to download the Postapay app at Teleposta Towers during the sensitization and demonstration meeting. Photo/Norah Bochere
She called on government agencies and the private sector to consider using the app for revenue collection and the payment of government services.
Government agencies can use the platform to collect and disburse funds through a collection account, as well as manage multiple activities such as salary payments to banks, dashboard access, and real-time reports and reconciliation in a cost-effective manner.
The General Manager was speaking during the PostaPay Sensitization Workshop held at the Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy Headquarters.
The event was attended by various heads of departments, including the Director of Information, Mr. Joseph Kipkoech; Director of Public Communications, Monica Omoro; Director of Human Resource Management and Development, Juanita Ombima; Director of Planning in the State Department of Broadcasting, Penewel Nyadienga; and senior officers from the ministry.
Postal Corporation strategic consultant Alice Gathoni demonstrating to the Director of Information, Joseph Kipkoech how to download the Postapay app at Teleposta Towers during the sensitization and demonstration meeting. Photo/Norah Bochere
Toroitich said PostaPay is cost-effective and efficient as users will be able to do their money transactions to any network and vice versa at affordable rates of 30 per cent to 60 per cent while tills any paybills charges at 0.2 percent, as well as have at least five sub- wallets for transactions and a standing order for payment of bills.
“The users of this app have a capability of operating at least five sub wal lets, for example one can operate a business app, a chama group, for farming among others,” she stated.
“Through the Escrow services account the users will be safeguarded while making payments for purchases, as their money will be held in a suspense account until the purchased item is released,” she stated.
In her remarks, the Manager for Payment Services at the Postal Corporation of Kenya, Rysper Cherotich, said the money wallets is in three categories namely Agency Module wallet for withdrawal and deposit from agents, Merchant Module wallet that will be used for tills and pay bills, disbursement and collection, and the User Module where users will download the app to send and receive money, to pay bills, to buy airtime and to make payments.
“PostaPay is currently recruiting users across the country by creating awareness and doing sensitization campaign, as well as on boarding merchants and agents who will be receiving pay ments,” Cherotich said.
The PCK partnered with a payment service provider (PSP) to develop PostaPay. PostaPay app will help the government to save costs and bring transparency thereby eradicating fraud and misuse of government funds.
Transactions that can be made through the PostaPay App include SasaPay, Airtel- Money, M-Pesa, T-Kash, banking in banks, cards, diaspora and other financial ser vices.
PostaPay plans to create 200 agents across the country and to on board 100 dealers as well enable over 100 Kenyan micro and small medium enterprises to receive payment and access business loans digitally.