This archive report was first published on 14 January 2020.
With just seven days left before the January 20 deadline for biometric registration of phone users' SIM cards in Tanzania, the country's communications watchdog has reported that at least 22,796,000 SIM cards are yet to be registered.
According to Semu Mwakyanjala, Principal Corporate Communications Officer with the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), by January 7, about 25,160,000 SIM cards had been registered biometrically, which is equivalent to 52.4 percent.
TCRA hopes that as many phone users' SIM cards as possible can register biometrically in the remaining seven days to meet the deadline, Mwakyanjala added.
President John Magufuli had earlier extended the deadline for biometric registration of phone users' SIM cards by 20 more days, from December 31 to January 20, to give people who failed to register on various reasons a chance to do so.
Magufuli had biometrically registered his SIM card in his native town of Chato in the northwest region of Geita, emphasizing that the extension was not intended to be further extended after January 20, 2020.
Those who fail to register during the extension period should not blame the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) for locking them out, Magufuli said.
The registration move was aimed at getting rid of dishonest telephone line users, controlling cybercrime, and protecting Tanzanians against those abusing the telecom sector.
The registration of SIM cards is mandatory under the Electronics and Postal Communications Act of 2010, and failure to comply with the law can result in severe penalties.
