Equity War With Safaricom Takes Atwist As Parliament Rejects Thin Sim Card

Just two days after the Communication Authority of Kenya gave Equity bank a licence
to operate a mobile money business through its thin Sim card Mobile Virtual Network Operation
Parliament has shot it down. The two, Safaricom Ltd and Equity have been fighting neck to neck
over market share for mobile money transfer in Kenya. Currently Safaricom Ltd with an estimated 12 Million
subscriber base on its flagship product MPESA contrls the lion share of mobile money transfer in Kenya.
Equity bank on its part is hoping to bring on board its 8 million subscribers and claim a share in the lucrative
mobile money transfer business. Speaking to the press separately both Safaricom CEO Bob collymore and 
Equity Bank's CEO James Mwangi defended their positions on the whole issue of bringing on board a new
player in the Mobile money transfer business. Collymore says that by introducing a new sim card(Equity's)
customer privacy will be compromised since one has to pass through the other when transacting. On
his part Equity Bank's CEO James Mwangi disputes this saying that both Safaricom's Sim card and The new Equity Bank Sim card cannot be on at the same time and hence no need to worry.
It will be interesting to see how things unfold as the drama continues to unfold. What is clear though is that
customers will be relieved of the huge costs in Mobile money  transfer once a new player comes on board.
However the privacy of mobile users is parramount in terms of password and Mobile banking transactions already being done through the Safaricom platform.