Before surrendering your old phone to Safaricom, delete these things first to protect yourself

Thousands of Kenyans have old mobile phones, chargers, earphones and other electronic gadgets gathering dust in drawers, cupboards and storage boxes. Some stopped working years ago, while others were abandoned after their owners upgraded to newer smartphones. Now, Safaricom is asking Kenyans to bring these forgotten gadgets out of storage and surrender them for recycling.

The telecommunications company has given Kenyans until Friday, November 13, 2026, to drop off their unwanted electronic devices at any of its retail shops across the country.

The initiative aims to reduce electronic waste by ensuring that discarded gadgets are collected and taken through proper recycling processes instead of ending up in ordinary rubbish dumps.

However, while getting rid of an old phone might seem like a simple exercise, there is something owners should consider before handing over their devices: personal information.

That old smartphone might have stopped receiving updates, developed a cracked screen or become too slow to open basic applications, but it could still contain photographs, private conversations, banking information, saved passwords and other details that should not fall into the wrong hands.

Even a phone that has not been switched on for months could still hold information stored in its internal memory or removable storage.

Before taking that old device to a Safaricom shop, here are five things to clear or remove to protect your privacy.

This is perhaps the easiest step, yet it is one that people can easily forget when rushing to dispose of an old phone.

A SIM card is linked to your mobile number and may contain saved contacts and other information. It also provides access to services connected to that number, depending on the security measures in place.

If you have moved to another phone but retained your old SIM card, make sure you remove it before surrendering the previous device.

This is particularly important for Kenyans who use their phone numbers to access mobile money services, receive banking notifications and verify their identities on different platforms.

The same applies to memory cards. Some smartphones allow users to store photographs, videos, documents and music on removable SD cards.

Removing the SIM card alone is not enough if the memory card is still inside. Take both out and check that you have not left anything behind.

If you no longer need a SIM card, contact your mobile service provider about safely deactivating it. Do not simply assume that leaving it unused means it is no longer useful to someone else.

That old phone could be carrying years of memories, including family photographs, screenshots, personal videos, identification documents and conversations you would rather keep private.

Some people also use their phones to photograph important documents such as national identity cards, passports, driving licences, bank statements and certificates.

Imagine surrendering a phone only to remember later that it still contains photographs of your identification documents. It is an unnecessary headache that can be avoided.

Before disposing of the device, transfer photographs, videos and important documents to a secure location if you still need them.

You can use a trusted cloud storage service, an external drive or another personal device.

Once you have confirmed that your important files are safely backed up, erase the information from the old phone.

Do not rely on deleting individual photographs or conversations. A proper factory reset is more effective because it removes the information stored on the device.

Your old smartphone may still be connected to accounts that you use every day.

These include Gmail, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok and mobile banking applications.

Even if you have moved to a new phone, some applications may retain account information or active sessions on the old device.

Before surrendering it, sign out of your accounts where possible and check whether the device is still listed among the gadgets connected to your online accounts.

Pay particular attention to email accounts because they are often used to reset passwords for other services.

Also check banking applications, saved payment details and password managers. Remove the old device from trusted-device lists where the service provides that option.

For mobile money users, remember that your M-Pesa account is linked to your Safaricom number rather than simply being stored in the handset. However, old SMS notifications, transaction messages and application sessions may still reveal private financial information.

If you are getting rid of the phone number as well, update the contact details linked to your banking, email and other important accounts before giving it up.

After backing up important information, removing your SIM and memory cards, and signing out of your accounts, perform a factory reset.

A factory reset restores the phone to its original settings and erases most personal information stored in its internal memory.

On most Android phones, you can find this option under Settings, then System or General Management, followed by Reset and Factory Data Reset. The exact wording may differ depending on the manufacturer.

For iPhones, go to Settings, select General, then Transfer or Reset iPhone and choose Erase All Content and Settings.

If you use an iPhone, sign out of your Apple account and follow the prompts to disable Find My before handing it over. Android users should also remove their Google accounts before resetting their devices.

This helps prevent the device from remaining linked to personal accounts or causing activation problems for whoever handles it afterwards.

Importantly, a factory reset does not erase information stored on a removable SIM or SD card. That is why the earlier steps matter.

The Federal Trade Commission also advises consumers to back up their information, remove SIM and memory cards and erase their devices before recycling or giving them away.

WhatsApp conversations can contain more than ordinary chats. People share photographs, work documents, identification details, financial information and personal messages through the application.

Before surrendering your phone, check whether you need to back up your conversations and media.

If you are moving to another device, make sure your chats have transferred successfully before wiping the old handset.

You should also check the list of linked devices in WhatsApp and remove any connections you no longer recognise or use.

Remember that deleting WhatsApp from the home screen is not the same as removing all information from the phone.

Once you have confirmed that your important conversations are backed up and your account is properly transferred, proceed with the factory reset.

For phones that cannot switch on or have damaged screens, do not assume that the information inside has disappeared. Seek guidance from a qualified technician or the collection team on secure handling before surrendering the device.

Before you go… how about joining our vibrant Telegram and WhatsApp channels for hotter stories?