Can Safaricom Track a Stolen Phone?

Published: August 29, 2026 • 3 min read

The Short Answer

**Safaricom cannot directly track or locate your phone on your behalf as a member of the public.** If you call customer care or visit a Safaricom Shop asking them to find your lost phone, they will decline. This is due to strict data privacy regulations in Kenya, which protect the location and personal data of mobile subscribers.

What Safaricom CAN Do

While Safaricom won't track the device directly for you, they provide critical security and recovery support:

1. Block the SIM and M-Pesa

When you report the line as stolen, Safaricom immediately suspends outgoing and incoming calls, SMS, and data. Most importantly, they lock your **M-Pesa wallet** to prevent unauthorized withdrawals or loans.

2. Assist Law Enforcement (DCI)

Safaricom has a dedicated law enforcement liaison team. When the **Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI)** submits an official tracking request accompanied by a **Police Abstract (OB number)** and a court order, Safaricom will monitor the network for your phone's IMEI number and share location triangulation details with the investigators.

3. Blacklist the IMEI

If you request an IMEI blacklist (providing your ID and OB number), Safaricom will add the device IMEI to the national blacklist. This blocks the phone from registering on Safaricom's network, making it incapable of making calls or sending messages.

Safaricom Tracking FAQs

CAN SAFARICOM TRACK THE PHONE IF IT IS SWITCHED OFF?

No. Mobile network tracking relies on the phone communicating with cell towers. If the phone is powered off or the battery is removed, the device cannot be tracked in real-time. Tracking will resume once the device is turned on and a SIM is inserted.

WHAT IF THE THIEF SWAPS THE SIM CARD?

Yes, Safaricom can still track it. Tracking is based on the phone's unique hardware identifier (**IMEI**), not the SIM card. Even if the thief throws away your SIM card and inserts a new Safaricom or Airtel SIM, the network will instantly flag the connection under the new number.

Check If Your Device is Registered

Help second-hand buyers check if the phone they are purchasing is clean. Register your device on the LostPhoneKE database.