Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo has sparked a massive online debate after revealing that her M-PESA account was allegedly wiped clean by fraudsters over the Christmas period, leaving her with just Ksh17.
In a statement shared via her official Facebook account, which quickly resonated with struggling Kenyans, the outspoken legislator dismissed the notion that politicians are immune to financial hardship, insisting that even MPs get broke.
“This Christmas I was broke—or you think we do not get broke?” Millie posed.
According to the MP, she had hosted guests during the festive season and was relying on funds in her M-PESA wallet, only to discover that the money had mysteriously disappeared.
“I had money on M-PESA. I decided to use it only to discover it had all been cleared by M-PESA thieves. Guess what? They left a balance of 17 shillings,” she said.
The revelation has struck a nerve at a time when many Kenyans are grappling with the harsh realities of “Njaanuary”—the financially draining month that follows the festive season.
With school fees deadlines looming, Millie admitted she was forced to borrow money to stay afloat, raising serious questions about the safety of mobile money platforms.
“Wheee. I had to kopa,” she stated, adding that the incident appeared suspicious.
The MP went further to suggest the fraud “looked like an inside job,” a claim likely to pile pressure on Safaricom as concerns over mobile money fraud continue to grow.
Demand for Refund
Millie has now publicly demanded her money back, calling on M-PESA to take responsibility and act swiftly.
“MPESA, I need my money back. This is Njaanuary and fees must be paid. Sawa?” she said.
Her statement has ignited a wave of reactions online, with many Kenyans sharing similar experiences of alleged M-PESA fraud and calling for stronger safeguards, quicker reversals, and greater accountability from service providers.
As of publication, Safaricom had not issued a response to the MP’s claims, but the explosive revelation has once again put the spotlight on the security of M-PESA, Kenya’s most popular mobile money platform, at a time when millions depend on it for daily survival.
