my experience with the Kenyan bank tends to be the same - one I don't like or enjoy.




Why do I bank with a Kenyan bank if I don't reside there? well I make money there and need to bank there!



Anyway, having a Kenyan bank account (I have several) is a necessary evil and in fact I could not run my business without one. These banks kind of know this and even though they have dedicated Diaspora teams - well you wonder why they don't have a better service for the Diaspora.



a few weeks ago I needed to transfer money to someone in Kenya from my Equity bank in KES - sounds simple. I could not use the internet banking as it was either down or was not logging me in. so I filled in a form like you would do if you did not have internet banking and sent it over to the department who deal with it.



Firstly, there is never ever an email to confirm they have received your email request



Secondly, you have to chase to find out if the funds have been transferred - nobody bothers to tell you. I would normally wait for a day or two and if there is a movement in my account there is an automated email sent to you



If I don't receive the email - I would then call them to find out what is happening. I find this being quite ineffective for a Diaspora team



Co-op team is not better to be honest but Equity takes the cake for being lousy.



Making an international payment is possible with equity - but until recently I had to send in the forms. Needless to say you have no control of the forex rate they use. but if Equity transacts the request - it would reach India the next day. I don't know re the other destinations - which I think is fair for a price of KES 1365 approx (I think). However if it goes wrong and the money has to return to your account - your lose another 600 kes. and then another 1365 to send out!



I have been told that you can do online international payments - but am yet to see to this. Because if this were correct I would cut out the human element which happens to be Equity biggest undoing - even though they have poor technology as well.



I have also contacted Citi bank and Barclays bank of Kenya in view to open an account - but I was told I had to show up face to face. I would have expected these two banks to be more flexible as they are 'more' international. I opened my Equity and Co-op account from Abroad - you would think international banks like Barclays and Citibank's with branches all over the world would allow for the same.



anyway, moral of the story -- if you are Kenya and are abroad and need a Kenyan bank account to stay in control of your money - get onto Equity and / or Co-op but do know they aren't the best!