If it feels like Safaricom is playing a weird game of “now you see it, now you don’t” with its data bundles, you’re not paranoid. It’s happening. A growing number of Kenyans are calling it out: every time you fall in love with a cheap data deal and make it part of your daily routine, poof! It either disappears or comes back with a nasty price hike.
What started as personal rants on social media has turned into a collective cry for transparency (or at least some consistency) in how Kenya’s largest telco serves up its offers.
The Disappearing Bundle Trick
One X post that recently went viral captures the mood perfectly:
“Safaricom be like: Oh, you like this cheap bundle? Next time we'll hide it from the main page. Oh, you found it after multiple menus? Guess what, it now costs 10 bob extra. Oh, you paid for it 3 times after the price hike? F*ck you, the bundle no longer exists on offer for you.”
— @Monty_Hasashi, July 25, 2025Thousands of users resonated with the post, not just because it was hilariously worded, but because it’s painfully true. The post has so far been viewed nearly half a million times.
Another X user, @Web3flux, shared a similarly frustrating experience:
“Have you guys noticed Safaricom keeps hitting people with increased offers every other time they show loyalty in subscribing to a certain package continuously? Like ukibuy data ya Kes 100, 1GB daily sana, they remove that option for you and increase prices mahn.”It’s a classic case of “what you love most hurts you the most.” Users report that after repeatedly buying a specific bundle, say 1GB for KES 100 daily, it suddenly vanishes or reappears at a higher price. No warning. No explanation. Just pain.
And what’s worse? You’re then left wading through a jungle of pricier or less convenient alternatives. It feels less like smart marketing and more like a bad breakup.
USSD Menu: The Maze That Keeps Moving
If the bundle game wasn’t frustrating enough, try navigating Safaricom’s ever-changing USSD menu system (*544#, *100#, *456#, etc.). It’s like playing musical chairs in the dark.
Just when you’ve memorized where a certain option is, it gets moved to a submenu buried behind four different prompts. Want to cancel that annoying daily subscription you never signed up for? Good luck. It’s hiding under *456# or maybe *200#, or wait… is it *100# today?
There’s no consistency. The menus shift often, breaking the muscle memory users rely on for quick, everyday tasks. This is not just about inconvenience, it’s about consumer trust. Kenyans are growing tired of feeling like they’re being manipulated by systems designed to extract maximum revenue with minimum transparency. Even those who’ve stuck with Safaricom for years are beginning to feel like the loyalty isn’t mutual.
The pattern is clear:
- You discover a cheap bundle.
- You use it religiously.
- Safaricom sees the data spike.
- They yank the offer.
- You’re left with no option but to pay more.
It’s the digital equivalent of raising rent every time your landlord sees you’re settling in.
What Can Be Done?
For starters, transparency would go a long way. If an offer is seasonal or experimental, say so. Let users know it may expire, not vanish without trace. Second, stabilize the USSD menu. Many Kenyans depend on these codes daily. Constantly shifting them around frustrates loyal users and risks costly mistakes.
Lastly, stop punishing loyalty. If someone is consistently buying a bundle, maybe reward them. Don’t yank it the minute you notice.
Safaricom is still, by far, the biggest and most stable network in Kenya. Its infrastructure, M-PESA ecosystem, and reliability are hard to beat. But these bundle games? They’re wearing people down. Kenyans don’t want magic. They just want consistency. Fairness. The ability to rely on a deal tomorrow if they use it today.
So Safaricom, if you’re reading this: we love that 2GB for 100 bob. Please don’t make us chase it like a ghost.
Discover more from Techish Kenya
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
