Unaitas has become the first SACCO in Kenya to integrate with Pesalink. This is after they partnered with Integrated Payment Services Limited (IPSL), the operator of the Pesalink instant payments network.
The service is accessible via the Mo-Cash App and the USSD service on *493#.
“Unaitas was a trailblazer, and that single move has changed the narrative for the entire SACCO sector,” stated Gituku Kirika, CEO of IPSL. “This collaboration demonstrates how interoperable payments turn integration into impact by empowering SACCO members with instant, affordable, and inclusive access.”
Unaitas is also leveraging features like Pesalink’s Bulk for real-time payroll disbursements. There is also Pesalink Pay for instant merchant and supplier settlements, providing tools vital for SMEs, Agribusinesses, and informal savings groups (Chamas).
Martin Muhoho, CEO of Unaitas, affirmed the cooperative spirit: “Harnessing Pesalink means a faster, more convenient, and secure way for our members to transact instantly. We are committed to extending our experience to other smaller Saccos, showing how inclusion can be achieved through interoperability.”
The partnership with Unaitas is part of a broader push by Pesalink to position itself as the neutral, shared infrastructure that links Kenya’s diverse financial ecosystem. In the recent past, IPSL has signed several strategic alliances to accelerate this vision:
1. Pesalink, alongside Equity Bank and NALA, a Tanzanian fintech, partnered to transform cross-border payments into Kenya, making it easier and cheaper to send money home from abroad and ensuring instant arrival into local bank accounts or mobile wallets.
2. A collaboration with Tendepay focuses on digitizing enterprise payments. This integration unlocks bulk payments for SMEs, streamlining payroll, supplier payments, and petty cash management with instant settlement speeds.
3. Pesalink signed an MoU with The Fintech Alliance to simplify the process for fintech firms to integrate with banks, fostering co-creation and speeding up the rollout of instant payment solutions for the market.
4. Pesalink partnered with payment gateway Paystack to enable Kenyan businesses to accept instant bank-to-bank payments 24/7 through Paystack Checkout or API, giving customers a simpler, card-free way to pay.