Questions, answered plainly.
If something you need is not here, ask us — we would rather you asked before you applied.
What PataSimu is.
What is PataSimu?
PataSimu sells smartphones on instalments in Kenya. You take the phone now and pay for it over an agreed period until you own it outright. PataSimu is a service of MovaPay.
Is this a loan?
You are buying a phone and paying for it over time under an instalment agreement, which you sign in person at a PataSimu shop. Nothing is agreed on this website. What you send from here is a request for an agent to contact you, and it commits you to nothing.
Which phones do you sell?
We carry ZTE, vivo and Apple iPhone. Every handset we list is new — we do not sell refurbished stock. The full list, with prices, is on the phones page.
Does the website decide whether I can have a phone?
No. There is no automatic decision anywhere on this site. Your application goes to a PataSimu agent, who calls you back to arrange the rest.
Who can apply, and what you need.
Who can apply?
You need to be an adult resident in Kenya with a Kenyan national ID and a phone number you can answer. The remaining conditions are set out in the instalment agreement and your agent goes through them with you before you sign.
What documents do I need to bring?
Your original national ID. Your agent will tell you if anything else is needed for your particular application when they call — bring the ID in either case, because the name on the agreement has to match it.
Why do you ask for my ID number on the form?
It is optional at this stage and it is only there to save you time later. If you would rather not type it into a website, leave it blank — the check happens in person with the physical document anyway. What we do with anything you give us is set out in our Privacy Policy.
What is the code you send me?
A six-digit number sent by SMS to the number you entered. Typing it back proves the number is yours, which is the only check this website performs. The code expires after a few minutes; you can ask for another one. We will never phone you to ask you to read a code out.
Can I choose the colour?
You can tell us the colour you would prefer and we pass it on, but stock is not held by colour, so we cannot promise it. Your agent confirms what is available before you sign.
How the money works.
How is my instalment worked out?
There are four parts, and all four are shown to you before you sign:
- The cash price — what the phone costs outright.
- The deposit — a share of the cash price, paid at the shop when you collect the phone.
- A security fee — a further share of the cash price, also paid at the shop.
- The instalments — the rest, plus the cost of paying over time, divided evenly across the number of payments in your plan.
Every one of those is calculated from that phone's own price, so the numbers differ from handset to handset. Open any phone on the phones page and you will see all four for every frequency and plan length we offer.
How often do I pay?
Daily, weekly or monthly — you choose when you pick your plan, and the plan length is chosen the same way. Each phone's page shows what the payment comes to under every combination, so you can see the trade-off before you decide.
Are the figures on the website final?
They are indicative. They are computed from that phone's price and our published terms, which is why they are realistic, but prices and terms can change, and what binds is the agreement you sign at the shop. Your agent confirms every figure with you before that happens.
Can I pay this website directly?
No. This site takes no payments of any kind. If anything claiming to be PataSimu asks you to pay through a web page, it is not us — please tell us about it.
Can I pay it off early?
Paying ahead of your schedule is always allowed. How an early settlement is worked out is set out in your instalment agreement, and your agent will go through it with you if you ask.
What happens if I am late with a payment?
Talk to us first — the earlier the better, because there is usually more we can do. If an account falls behind, the device can be restricted until it is brought back up to date, and it starts working normally again once it is. What counts as late, and what follows, is written into the agreement you sign, and it is explained to you before you sign it.
The phone itself.
What is device supervision?
Management software on the handset for the length of your plan. While your payments are up to date the phone works normally — calls, messages, apps, camera, everything. If payments stop, the device can be restricted until the account is current again. It is removed when the plan is complete.
Is the phone new, and does it have a warranty?
Every handset we list is new, not refurbished. Warranty cover depends on the model and on where it was supplied from, so your agent will tell you exactly what warranty comes with your phone, and who to go to, before you sign.
What if the phone is lost, stolen or damaged?
Tell us straight away, and report a theft to the police. Losing the handset does not end your instalment plan on its own — what happens next is set out in the agreement you sign, so please read that section before you sign and ask your agent anything that is unclear.
Can I use any network?
Yes. The handsets we sell are not tied to a mobile network, and PataSimu is not a mobile operator.
When the phone is yours.
When does the phone become mine?
When you have made every payment in your plan. At that point the plan closes, the supervision software is removed, and the handset is yours outright. There is nothing further to pay and nothing further to sign.
Can I sell or give away the phone while I am still paying?
Not until the plan is complete. Until then the handset is still being paid for and the agreement you signed governs what you may do with it.
Can I take a second phone?
Ask your agent. It depends on where you are with your current plan, and it is a conversation with a person, not something this website settles.
Reaching us.
How do I contact PataSimu?
Through the contact page. If you already have an application, have your PS reference to hand.
How do I check on an application I have already sent?
Use the status check. You enter the phone number you applied with, we text you a code, and you see your applications. There is no password to remember.
What do you do with my personal information?
It is set out in full in our Privacy Policy, including your rights under the Data Protection Act 2019 to see what we hold, have it corrected, have it deleted, and object to how it is used.
