A growing number of e-commerce shoppers who rely on the national courier Postal Corporation of Kenya (Posta) for the last-mile delivery of international packages are raising concerns about service’s reliability, delayed parcels, and the lack of a transparent tracking system.
- •For many, these issues have become routine—especially when receiving orders from global e-commerce platforms like AliExpress or Shein.
- •While Posta’s KSh 100 handling fee per item is meant to cater for customs processing and delivery logistics, many recipients say the service often falls short of expectations.
- •Some users now actively recommend avoiding services that rely on POSTA for delivery, with others limiting their online shopping to merchants that offer alternative couriers.
A central concern among users is the uncertainty around delivery timelines. Videos and posts expressing dissatisfaction with POSTA’s services are increasingly common across TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and other platforms.
“Went to pick mine, was told it’s not there, I had been told the previous week it had arrived they’re sorting, I insisted and they found it,” one user said in a comment on TikTok.
Among other common complaints is that parcels frequently arrive later than estimated, sometimes weeks after dispatch, and in some cases, in damaged condition or with packaging visibly compromised.
Posta does not offer real-time digital tracking or SMS alerts, leaving customers unaware of their parcel’s progress. Most only learn of their item’s arrival through a phone call—or after multiple unfruitful trips to the local post office. In some instances, customers report being told to return at a later date, only to discover the item has been misplaced or delayed again.
“I got mine…shida ni posta. I got mine shipped to 3 different postas instead of the one I indicated,” another said in a different comment thread.
Currently, there is no formal recourse in place for customers when items are delivered late, lost, or in poor condition.
The KSh 100 fee, while relatively modest, has also come under scrutiny from regular users. It is applied uniformly regardless of the item’s size, frequency of shipping, or declared value. Frequent shoppers report that, at times, the cumulative cost often exceeds the price of the items themselves.
As frustrations mount, Kenyans are increasingly turning to alternative logistics providers such as Speedaf, G4S, and Fargo. Though more expensive, these platforms offer real-time tracking dashboards, automated alerts, and predictable delivery schedules—benefits that are driving customer migration despite the costs.
While Posta remains a vital player in Kenya’s logistics ecosystem—with a broad national reach and more than a century of service—it is clear that shifting consumer expectations are forcing a reckoning. In an era of rapid digital commerce, users expect not just affordability, but transparency, convenience, and accountability.
Kenya’s national courier risks ceding ground to private players who are better placed to adapt quickly to the realities of a tech-driven economy, including the competitive edge of providing better services. Improving service standards, investing in modern tracking infrastructure, and enhancing customer communication will be key to rebuilding public confidence.
