Kenyans have been dealt yet another blow after the High Court declined to extend the reinstatement order of transaction charges between mobile wallets and bank accounts.

High Court’s Justice Mugure Thande, while declining to extend the suspension order said Safaricom, which is the leading telco in Kenya and pioneer of mobile money platforms and the Central Bank of Kenya were yet to be parties to the case.

Thande said the application to enjoin the CBK and mobile service providers was yet to be determined.

The High Court issued the suspension order on January 12, 2022, pending the hearing and determination of a petition that was filed in 2022 by a petitioner named Moses Wafula to challenge the reintroduction of the transaction charges.

Wafula argued the reintroduction of the transaction charges violated, infringed and continue to threaten his rights and those of other members of the public.

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"The Applicant contends that his rights and the rights of other members of the public have been violated, infringed and continue to be threatened by the 1st Respondent herein and the Government of Kenya in view of the directive issued by the Intended 3rd Respondent on 6th December 2022," the court documents read.

The Central Bank of Kenya announced the reintroduction of charges for transactions between mobile money wallets and bank accounts on December 6, 2022.

The transaction charges were waived in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic as a measure to curb the spread of the virus.