This archive report was first published on 30 November 2019.
As of next year, it will be illegal to sell SIM cards without a license from the government. The Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) has developed a new policy that introduces guidelines for telecommunication service providers on the sale and registration of SIM-Cards.
According to the draft guidelines, telecommunication operators must engage the services of authorized or licensed registration agents with a valid compliance certificate issued by the CA. The guidelines also state that operators and registration agents shall sell and register SIM cards only in formal retail outlets, even during promotions, and shall ensure no hawking of SIM Cards registration services.
The new policy is expected to affect tens of thousands of agents and vendors who sell and register new SIM Cards on behalf of telecommunication operators. As of March 2019, the number of mobile subscribers in Kenya had reached 51 million, with millions of subscribers having multiple SIM Cards, some being inactive.
Under the new policy, telecommunications operators and agents intending to perform promotional activities will have to inform the CA two weeks in advance, providing details of planned activities including venue, physical address, county, and duration. The CA also wants mobile operators to demonstrate efforts to protect consumers' personal information, including securely storing subscriber registration particulars.
Published on November 30, 2019.
