Hakikisha
Also known as: Hakikisha M-PESA, M-PESA confirm name
Full definition
Hakikisha is a fraud-prevention feature Safaricom built into M-PESA Send Money in 2015. After the sender enters the recipient MSISDN and amount, and before they enter their PIN, M-PESA shows the recipient's registered name for a configurable delay (default: about 25 seconds). If the name is not what the sender expected, they can cancel.
Hakikisha catches two common problems: (1) mistyped MSISDNs where a wrong digit sends money to a stranger, and (2) M-PESA social-engineering scams where a bad actor persuades the sender to send money to a number they controlled. Hakikisha does not apply to paybill or Buy Goods (there the recipient is the merchant, and Safaricom already shows the merchant name).
The delay length is user-configurable inside the M-PESA menu. Best practice for high-risk senders: set the delay to the maximum, and always read the name before typing the PIN.
Worked example
A user sends KES 10,000 to a number they think belongs to their sister. Hakikisha displays JOHN MALINGA and holds for 25 seconds. The user cancels, realises they typed the wrong last digit, retries with the correct number, sees their sister's name, and confirms.
Verified 2026-09-01. Definitions on paybillke are sourced from Safaricom PLC Annual Report FY2026, the Central Bank of Kenya, the Communications Authority of Kenya, the Kenya Revenue Authority, and the primary operator documentation for each product. How we verify. Report a change.