As Kenya binges on easy credit, public shaming follows

A man holds his smartphone with different types of mobile loan lending services displayed on his screen in Nairobi, Kenya. A surge in digital lending has seen thousands of people swipe their way into debt via high-interest loans like the one taken by Kilonzo. But although the apps promise quick and discreet cash to the unbanked, failure to repay usually results in public humiliation. — AFP

NAIROBI: It only took Kenyan security guard Ambrose Kilonzo a few seconds and zero-collateral to secure a loan from a mobile app. But when he defaulted, lenders called his boss, putting his job at risk.

It is an ordeal experienced by many in Kenya, where a surge in digital lending has seen thousands of people swipe their way into debt via high-interest loans like the one taken by Kilonzo.