CA extends SIM card registration deadline to October 15
Subscribers queue and near a Safaricom van to register their SIM cards in Elburgon town in Nakuru County, on April 8, 2022.
Kenyans have six more months to register their SIM Cards, after the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) extended the deadline to October 15, 2022.
The agency on Friday said it added time for the exercise after many subscribers failed to register their SIM Cards by the April 15 deadline, even as it observed that it also considered factors such as addressing the needs of subscribers outside the country and reaching those in remote parts of Kenya.
“As of today, our review with the operators indicates that they still have a long way to go to achieve 100 per cent compliance. So far, Safaricom PLC has reported 67 per cent compliance, Airtel Kenya 55 per cent while Telkom Kenya is at 33 per cent,” CA Director-General Ezra Chiloba said.
Mr Chiloba added that the authority also extended the deadline in order to accommodate the needs of vulnerable persons who may have missed the opportunity to present themselves physically for the exercise.
“As of today, our review with the operators indicates that they still have a long way to go to achieve 100 per cent compliance. So far, Safaricom PLC has reported 67 per cent compliance, Airtel Kenya 55 per cent while Telkom Kenya is at 33 per cent,” CA Director-General Ezra Chiloba said.
Mr Chiloba added that the authority also extended the deadline in order to accommodate the needs of vulnerable persons who may have missed the opportunity to present themselves physically for the exercise.
“The exercise was meant to ensure 100 per cent compliance with SIM Card registration regulations, which, among other things, require operators to retain a copy of identification documents of every subscriber.
“We have also listened to the concerns raised by consumers, the prevailing context and operator’s preparedness to ensure full compliance, and the need to be responsive to some of the issues,” Mr Chiloba said.
But CA warned that subscribers and operators who fail to honour the new deadline would be penalised according to the law.
“The new deadline for updating subscriber registration details will be October 15, 2022. During this period, the authority will undertake monthly reviews to assess progress. At the expiry of the six months, the authority will further conduct a detailed compliance audit on each of the operators,” it stated.
