The Signal Cut: Inside Kakuma’s Biometric SIM Blackout as Thousands Lose Mobile Money Lifelines
By The Editors
KAKUMA, KENYA — On a Tuesday morning in Kakuma 1’s bustling Hong Kong Market, 34-year-old Congolese hardware merchant Jean-Luc Murenzi tapped his smartphone screen to complete an M-Pesa supplier payment. Within seconds, his phone screen displayed: SIM Card Inactive / Emergency Calls Only. His M-Pesa Till holding over KSh 140,000 was frozen.