Terms of Service

By using ParcelMtandao to ship a parcel — whether through our website, mobile, eShop integrations, or in person at a counter — you agree to the following terms. Read them; they're written in plain English on purpose.

1. What we do

ParcelMtandao is a Kenyan parcel logistics platform. We accept parcels at our offices and partner sacco offices, route them through our network, and deliver them to a destination office or to the recipient's address (if your service tier includes door-to-door).

2. Your obligations as a sender

• Declare honestly. Describe the parcel's contents truthfully. Mis-declaring contents (especially to dodge restricted-item rules) voids your right to compensation if anything goes wrong.
• Pack safely. Use packaging appropriate to the contents. Fragile items must be cushioned; liquids must be sealed. We may refuse poorly packed parcels.
• Pay at drop-off. Final price is computed at the counter using the parcel's actual weight and measurements. The online quote is an estimate.
• Provide correct recipient details. If the recipient's phone or address is wrong, we may charge a redirection fee or return the parcel to you.

3. Prohibited items

You may not ship any of the following through our network:

• Firearms, ammunition, explosives, or any military-grade material.
• Illegal drugs and unauthorised pharmaceuticals (prescription medicines need a prescription on file).
• Cash, gold coins, bearer securities, or other monetary instruments.
• Live animals (we don't operate animal logistics; use a specialist).
• Human remains.
• Hazardous materials per the IATA dangerous goods list (acids, flammables, radioactive).
• Items prohibited by Kenyan law, KEBS standards, or Kenya Customs.
• Perishable food without refrigeration arrangements (contact us for cold-chain options).

If a prohibited item is detected, we will impound it, notify the relevant authorities, and you will not be refunded.

4. Pricing & refunds

Pricing is calculated using both the actual weight and the volumetric weight of your parcel — the higher of the two applies. VAT (16%) is included in every quote. Prices are in Kenyan Shillings.

Refunds: placing a self-pickup hold, redirecting your parcel mid-transit, or otherwise changing the collection point does not reduce or refund your shipping fee. Transit resources are already allocated for the full route either way. The hold and re-direct features are a free convenience, not a service downgrade.

If we lose your parcel, deliver it damaged through our fault, or fail to deliver within our published transit window, you may claim compensation (see section 7).

5. Tracking & notifications

Every shipment gets a tracking number. You and the recipient receive SMS + email at every key step: booking confirmed, received at origin, shipped, arrived at destination, out for delivery, delivered.

SMS delivery is best-effort and depends on the mobile network. Email is best-effort and depends on SMTP. We do not guarantee real-time delivery of notifications but the tracking page at parcelmtandao.com/tracking.php is always the authoritative source.

6. Delivery attempts & abandonment

For door-to-door services, we make up to 3 delivery attempts. After the third failed attempt, the parcel is held at the destination office and the recipient must collect it within 14 days. After 14 days of inaction, the parcel is returned to the sender or destroyed (sender's choice at booking).

7. Our liability

We are liable for parcels in our custody up to a maximum of KES 10,000 per shipment unless you declared a higher value at booking and paid the corresponding higher-value insurance premium.

We are not liable for:

• Indirect or consequential damages (lost business, missed events).
• Delays caused by events outside our control (weather, road closures, civil unrest, port strikes).
• Damage to items packed inadequately or shipped against our prohibited-items policy.
• Items refused by the recipient.

8. Disputes

We aim to resolve disputes informally first. Email disputes@parcelmtandao.com; we respond within 5 working days. If informal resolution fails, disputes are governed by Kenyan law and the courts of Nairobi have jurisdiction.

9. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms occasionally. Material changes are announced by email to registered customers and published here. Continued use of the platform after notification constitutes acceptance.