Kashway Loan Kenya 2026: App Download, Interest Rates & Review
If you're searching for the Kashway loan app in 2026, here's the short version: it's gone. The app was removed from the Google Play Store in August 2021. The website kashway.co.ke now redirects to Zenka Plus. You cannot download, apply for, or receive a Kashway loan today.
But thousands of Kenyans still search for "kashway loan" every month, so this review covers what happened, what Kashway's terms looked like when it was active, and which alternatives are worth your time now.
What Was Kashway?
Kashway was a mobile lending app operated by Wakanda Credit Limited, a Kenyan company that offered quick loans disbursed via M-Pesa. The app launched on the Google Play Store and targeted the same market as Tala, Branch, and OKash â Kenyans who needed fast cash without bank visits or collateral.
At its peak, Kashway offered loans ranging from KES 500 to KES 50,000 with repayment periods between 14 and 180 days. It was Android-only and required a Kenyan National ID, an active M-Pesa account, and the standard suite of phone permissions (contacts, SMS, location).
The app used M-Pesa Paybill number 900068 for repayments.
What Happened to Kashway?
Kashway disappeared in stages:
August 2021: The app was removed from the Google Play Store. No official announcement was made. Users who had it installed could still access it for a time, but new downloads stopped.
2022-2024: The website kashway.co.ke continued to exist but became increasingly non-functional. Customer support channels went quiet. Existing borrowers reported difficulty reaching anyone about their accounts.
December 24, 2025: Wakanda Credit Limited, Kashway's parent company, received a digital credit provider license from the Central Bank of Kenya. This is notable â it means the company is still legally registered and CBK-approved. But they appear to be operating under different branding, not the Kashway name.
2026: kashway.co.ke now redirects to Zenka Plus. The Kashway brand is effectively dead.
The most likely explanation is that Wakanda Credit Limited pivoted away from the Kashway brand, possibly due to the negative reputation it accumulated from borrower complaints about high fees and aggressive debt collection.
Kashway Historical Interest Rates and Fees
These are the rates Kashway charged when it was operational. They're included here for reference, especially for borrowers who may still have outstanding balances or CRB records tied to Kashway loans.
| Fee Type | Rate |
| Interest per loan cycle | 25-36% |
| Upfront service charge | 22% (deducted before disbursement) |
| Late payment penalty | 2% per day on overdue balance |
| Effective APR range | 30-72% |
What These Numbers Actually Meant
Take a KES 10,000 loan for 30 days:
- Service charge (22%): KES 2,200 deducted upfront â you receive KES 7,800
- Interest (25% of KES 10,000): KES 2,500
- Total repayment: KES 12,500 (but you only received KES 7,800)
- Effective cost: You paid KES 4,700 to borrow KES 7,800 for 30 days
That's an effective rate of about 60% for one month. By comparison, Tala charges roughly 15% per month with no upfront deduction, and Zenka charges 14-29% per loan cycle with the option to repay over 6 months.
The 2% daily late penalty was one of the most punitive in the Kenyan digital lending market. If you were 10 days late on a KES 10,000 loan, that's an additional KES 2,000 in penalties alone. This structure generated significant complaints from borrowers, including reports of harassment from debt collectors.
Kashway Loan Requirements (Historical)
When Kashway was active, borrowers needed:
- Age: 18 years or older
- ID: Kenyan National ID
- Phone: Android smartphone (no iOS support)
- M-Pesa: Active, registered Safaricom M-Pesa account
- Permissions: Full access to contacts, SMS, location, and phone data
The app used M-Pesa transaction history and phone data for credit scoring, similar to how Tala and Branch operate today. New users typically started with limits of KES 500 to KES 2,000, which increased with successful repayments.
Why Kashway Had a Bad Reputation
Kashway attracted consistent criticism for several practices:
High upfront deductions. The 22% service charge meant borrowers received significantly less than the stated loan amount. A KES 5,000 loan only put KES 3,900 in your M-Pesa.
Aggressive debt collection. Multiple borrower reports described contact of family members and employer listed in phone contacts. This practice, sometimes called "contact shaming," was common among unregulated digital lenders before CBK tightened oversight.
Punitive late fees. At 2% per day, late fees could exceed the original loan amount within 50 days. Some borrowers reported total repayment demands of 2-3 times what they originally borrowed.
Poor customer support. Getting a response from Kashway's support team was difficult even when the app was operational. After the app was pulled from the Play Store, support essentially vanished.
These issues were not unique to Kashway â many digital lenders in Kenya operated similarly before the CBK began licensing and regulating digital credit providers in 2022. But Kashway's combination of high fees and aggressive collection made it one of the more complained-about apps.
Do I Still Owe Money to Kashway?
If you took a Kashway loan and didn't fully repay it, the debt may still exist. Here's what to check:
- Check your CRB status. Request a free credit report from Metropol, TransUnion, or Creditinfo. If Kashway reported a default, it will appear under Wakanda Credit Limited.
- Contact Wakanda Credit Limited directly. Since the company received a CBK license in December 2025, they are still a registered entity. You may be able to negotiate a settlement.
- Know your rights. Under CBK regulations, digital lenders cannot charge more than the amount disclosed at the time of borrowing. If your balance includes fees you weren't told about, you have grounds to dispute.
- Statute of limitations. In Kenya, unsecured debt has a limitation period of 6 years. If your Kashway loan was taken before 2020 and no legal action was filed, the debt may be time-barred.
If the CRB listing is affecting your ability to get other financial products, clearing it should be a priority. Read our guide on how to remove CRB blacklisting in Kenya for the full process.
5 Better Alternatives to Kashway in 2026
All of these are CBK-licensed, currently operational, and cheaper than Kashway was.
1. Tala â Best for First-Time Borrowers
- Loan range: KES 500 - KES 50,000
- Rate: ~15% service fee per loan (21-30 days)
- Disbursement: 2-5 minutes to M-Pesa
- Why it's better: No upfront deduction, transparent pricing, 6M+ downloads
- Read full Tala review
2. Zenka â Best for Larger Amounts & Longer Terms
- Loan range: KES 500 - KES 100,000
- Rate: 14-29% per loan cycle (61 days to 6 months)
- Disbursement: 5-15 minutes to M-Pesa
- Why it's better: Double the limit, 6x the repayment period, works on iOS too
- Read full Zenka review
3. Branch â Best for Flexible Repayment
- Loan range: KES 250 - KES 70,000
- Rate: 1.17-16% per month
- Disbursement: Minutes to M-Pesa or bank account
- Why it's better: Repayment up to 68 weeks, among the lowest rates in the market
4. LendPlus â Best for Interest-Free First Loan
- Loan range: KES 500 - KES 30,000
- Rate: 2% per day (but first loan interest-free if repaid within 5 days)
- Disbursement: 5-15 minutes to M-Pesa
- Why it's better: The only major app offering a genuinely free first loan
- Read full LendPlus review
5. Fuliza â Best for Instant Overdraft
- Limit: Up to KES 70,000 (based on M-Pesa usage)
- Rate: 1.083% daily fee (capped at KES 30/day for limits up to KES 1,000)
- Disbursement: Instant â auto-completes failed M-Pesa transactions
- Why it's better: No app to download, no approval process, integrated into M-Pesa
- Read full Fuliza guide
Kashway vs Alternatives Comparison
| Feature | Kashway (Historical) | Tala | Zenka | Branch |
| Status | Discontinued | Active | Active | Active |
| Max Loan | KES 50,000 | KES 50,000 | KES 100,000 | KES 70,000 |
| Rate | 25-36% + 22% upfront | ~15% per month | 14-29% per cycle | 1.17-16%/month |
| Max Tenure | 180 days | 30 days | 6 months | 68 weeks |
| Late Fee | 2% daily | CRB listing | Varies | Varies |
| CBK Licensed | Parent co. (Dec 2025) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| iOS Support | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Play Store | Removed | Available | Available | Available |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still download the Kashway app?
No. The Kashway app was removed from the Google Play Store in August 2021. There is no legitimate way to download it. Any APK files claiming to be Kashway found on third-party sites should be treated as potential scams or malware.
Is Kashway coming back?
Unlikely under the Kashway name. Wakanda Credit Limited received a CBK license in December 2025, but the kashway.co.ke domain now redirects to Zenka Plus. The company appears to have moved on from the Kashway brand.
What is the Kashway Paybill number?
The historical M-Pesa Paybill number was 900068. It may no longer be active. If you need to make a payment to settle an outstanding Kashway balance, contact Wakanda Credit Limited directly rather than sending money to a potentially inactive Paybill.
Why was Kashway removed from the Play Store?
No official reason was given. Likely contributing factors include Google's crackdown on predatory lending apps in emerging markets (which removed dozens of apps from the Kenya market between 2020-2022) and regulatory pressure as CBK moved toward mandatory licensing for digital lenders.
How do I check if I have an outstanding Kashway loan?
Request a free credit report from Metropol CRB, TransUnion Kenya, or Creditinfo Kenya. Any outstanding Kashway debt will appear under the lender name Wakanda Credit Limited.
The Bottom Line
Kashway is gone, and honestly, borrowers aren't worse off for it. The 22% upfront service charge combined with 25-36% interest per cycle made it one of the most expensive digital lenders in Kenya. The 2% daily late penalty was punitive. The debt collection practices drew legitimate complaints.
If you landed on this page searching for Kashway, here's what to do: check your CRB status to make sure there's no outstanding Kashway debt haunting your credit report, then look at Tala or Zenka for your borrowing needs. Both are CBK-licensed, transparent about their fees, and will actually be around when you need them.