JamboPay has gone offline, leaving thousands of users unable to access their funds. Merchants say payouts have been pending for up to three months, dating back to August and September 2025.
The JamboPay portal went offline earlier this week, shutting out thousands of users who rely on the system for daily business transactions.
Instead of its normal login page, the site displays errors and an expired security certificate, raising concerns about whether the payment gateway is still fully operational.
Small business owners from Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu report that no withdrawals have been processed since early September.
Many merchants have screenshots showing balances stuck since August.
Some, like Mary Wambui, say the delays have pushed their businesses to the brink since they cannot access the money needed for rent, stock, and staff salaries.
Independent cybersecurity checks show the JamboPay domain now resolving to an entity titled “ePayments – County Government of Kajiado”.
Experts say this is far from a normal technical glitch.
According to fintech specialist Victor Omondi, a payment gateway redirecting to a country’s domain hints at possible system compromise or hidden internal changes.
JamboPay was once a major digital payments player, serving county governments, parking systems, schools and thousands of SMEs.
But insiders say the company has struggled since the Central Bank introduced strict PSP rules in 2023.
Many smaller gateways failed to meet the new financial and reporting standards, leaving operations strained.
Calls to the company’s official numbers go unanswered, often returning the message: “subscriber cannot be reached.”
Their X account has been inactive since July 2025, and the Facebook page is now been deleted.
Only a cached notice remains online, claiming the system is under upgrade but offering no timeline or explanation.
With no clarity from JamboPay, businesses have begun shifting to Pesapal, iPay, DPO and direct M-Pesa Paybill numbers.
However, the main worry remains retrieving funds locked inside JamboPay dashboards.
For many, these balances are essential for payroll, stock purchases and loan repayments.
Consumer organisations now want the Central Bank of Kenya to freeze all accounts linked to the PSP and appoint an administrator.
They warn that the situation mirrors past collapses where customer funds vanished silently.
According to COFEK, this crisis is no longer a tech failure but a possible financial risk to the public.
Some merchants say recent payments meant for JamboPay were traced to personal accounts linked to former directors.
If confirmed, the allegations could point to serious governance and accountability issues inside the company.
As the shutdown enters its eighth week, the platform remains offline, balances remain frozen, and communication remains absent.
Merchants now face the reality that JamboPay, once a trusted partner, may have collapsed quietly, leaving only an expired certificate and a county-linked server as its final digital footprint.
