Kenyan mobile firm partners with gov’t to spread information on COVID-19

   NAIROBI, March 16 -- Kenyan mobile phone firm Safaricom said Monday it is working with the government by providing a call center and integrating a toll-free line 719 to create awareness of suspected cases of coronavirus in the country.
   Safaricom said the call center has been set up by the National Emergency Response Committee on Coronavirus to support Kenyans in understanding how to prevent and manage suspected cases.
   "We have also interconnected other networks to ensure that their subscribers can access the Call Centre. All calls to 719 are free. We remain committed to working with all stakeholders to help our nation through this crisis," Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph said in a statement issued in Nairobi.
   Kenya recorded its third case of the virus on Sunday forcing the government to announce drastic measures including shutting down all schools and ask companies to allow their employees to work from home in a move to minimize the spread of the disease.
   Joseph also said mobile money transfer service, M-Pesa users will for the next three months send amounts below 1,000 shillings (10 U.S. dollars) for free, in a move aimed at reducing the risk of spreading the coronavirus through the physical handling of cash.
   He said the measure which takes effect from Tuesday was made following a directive by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Sunday that mobile service providers explore ways of deepening mobile money usage in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak.
   "All person-to-person transactions below 1,000 shillings shall be free. This means that from tomorrow (Tuesday) morning, M-PESA users will be able to send any amount below 1,000 shillings for free over the next 90 days," Joseph said.
   Safaricom has approved the increase of daily M-Pesa transaction limits from the current 700 dollars to 1,500 dollars to cater for small and micro business enterprises (SMEs).
   Kenyans will also be able to transact up to 3,000 dollars up from the current limit of 1,400 dollars and hold up to 3,000 dollars in their M-Pesa accounts.
   On Sunday, Kenyatta outlined various proactive measures the government is undertaking to contain the spread of coronavirus in the country. Xinhua