When you dial a Safaricom number that is switched off, you’re met with the familiar message, “mteja wa nambari uliyopiga hapatikani kwa sasa,” or “sorry, the mobile subscriber cannot be reached.”
The voice behind this iconic notification belongs to Maggie Wazome, who became associated with Safaricom shortly after the company’s launch in Kenya in the early 2000s.
For over a decade, Maggie Wazome’s voice has been a staple of the Kenyan telecommunications landscape, yet her identity remains unfamiliar to many.
Her voice has transcended its role as a simple automated message, becoming a symbol of Kenyan culture and pride. Maggie’s contributions to Safaricom and the broader mobile industry are celebrated as milestones in the country’s telecommunications history.
Parliamentary records and legal documents even reference her voice as part of Kenya’s cultural heritage.
In a previous interview, Maggie revealed that during the initial recordings, she had little insight into how her lines would be utilized.
“I was given several lines to record, including ‘mteja wa nambari uliyopiga,’ but I had no idea how they would be used,” she said.
It wasn’t until a friend pointed out her voice on phone calls that Maggie realized Safaricom had used her recordings—a contribution for which she had already been compensated.
