Customers of SBM Bank in Kenya are raising concerns over delays in accessing their salaries, with some saying they have been unable to use money that their employers processed on September 29.
The affected customers say the delay has caused frustration because the salaries had already been sent by their employers but were still not available for use in their bank accounts.
Some customers claim they contacted SBM Bank repeatedly and were informed that the institution was working on the issue.
One customer, who asked for their identity to be concealed, expressed anger over the situation, saying they had expected to access their salary after it was processed but were left waiting for the funds to become available.
The customer told Nyakundi Report that the situation had created difficulties for workers who rely on their monthly salaries to meet basic needs immediately after payment.
They questioned how employees could be left without access to money that had already been paid by their employers.
“SBM Bank is the most useless bank. Imagine we were paid on 29 but they are holding our money hadi sai. Calling them wanasema eti they are working on it. Imagine unaeza kosa fare na umelipwa juu ya fucking bank ya Mauritius. So bad, hide identity,” the customer said.
The complaint comes at a time when many employees depend on salary payments to cover transport, food, rent, loan repayments, school expenses and other household bills.
A delay in accessing the funds can therefore have an immediate effect, particularly for workers who do not have alternative sources of money.
For an employee who has already been paid, the problem can be especially frustrating because the salary may appear to have been processed by the employer while remaining unavailable in the employee’s account.
This means a worker can technically have received their salary but still be unable to withdraw or spend the money.
The customer also raised concerns about SBM Bank’s salary advance facility, saying the cost of borrowing for a short period can leave customers paying considerably more than the amount they receive.
According to the complainant, the salary advance is expected to be cleared from the next salary, meaning the repayment period is only one month.
However, they questioned why the facility attracts what they consider high interest and additional charges despite the short repayment period.
The customer said the charges make the facility expensive, particularly for employees who turn to salary advances when they are facing urgent financial needs before their next payday.
The concern raises questions about how SBM Bank determines the interest and other charges attached to its salary advance facility and whether customers clearly understand the total amount they are required to repay before taking the advance.
The salary delay has also put attention on the bank’s handling of salary processing and customer communication when technical or processing problems occur.
Customers affected by such delays may expect clear information on what caused the problem, how long it is likely to take to resolve and what steps are being taken to make the funds available.
SBM Bank operates in Kenya as part of the wider SBM Group, whose headquarters are in Mauritius. The institution provides banking services to individuals and businesses, including accounts used by employees to receive their salaries.
The complaints from affected customers now leave key questions for the bank to address. These include why some salaries processed on September 29 were not immediately accessible, what caused the delay, how many customers were affected and when the issue was expected to be fully resolved.
Customers also want clarity on the exact interest rates and additional charges applied to the salary advance facility, particularly for advances that are repaid from the following month’s salary.
For workers who depend entirely on their monthly income, timely access to salary is not a minor banking issue. Even a short delay can affect transport, food, rent, debt payments and other essential expenses, making the handling of salary payments a matter of immediate concern for affected SBM Bank customers.
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