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How to Register Next of Kin Details on M-PESA
You may have wondered where M-PESA balance goes to when an account owner dies. Well, the money can be claimed by the owner’s next of kin. It is therefore important to register a next of kin for your M-PESA account so that they may be able to access the money in case of any eventuality.
Next of kin is a person’s closest living blood relative who can be contacted by Safaricom when a subscriber passes away. This person will be able to access your funds when you are gone.
To fill an M-PESA next of kin form, visit their website at www.safaricom.co.ke or, you can also register your next of kin via phone as follows;
- Dial *234
- Select option 2: My M-PESA information
- Key in option 6: Next of kin
- Enter your Bonga PIN
- Enter your next of kin details; mobile number, ID.
A claimant intending to retrieve funds should visit any of the retail centres and provide certain documents for inspection and approval. These documents include:
- National ID of the claimant: The National ID of the person claiming the deceased’s funds.
- Death certificate of the deceased: 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): A legal document obtained from any probate & administration court. The same is issued after the court is satisfied that a person has the ability to act as a legal representative to the estate of a deceased person who did not live a will appointing a personal representative.
- Grant of Probate: This is a legal document issued by the court to an executor of the state 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 obtains 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 and all the persons who are beneficiaries of the estate of the deceased.
When Safaricom learns of the death of a subscriber, their M-PESA account is frozen to prevent further dealings and to protect the estate of the deceased.
After receiving all the required documents, funds will be transferred into the beneficiaries entitled to the M-PESA account balances.
The beneficiary must also provide a registered M-PESA account as funds will not be paid out in any other form.
If one does not claim next of kin M-PESA money on time, the funds will be transferred to the Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority (UFAA) due to lack of activity for about 2 years. However, one can still claim the money from them.
