SIM Card Registration Exercise Extended By 6 Months – Chiloba

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr, 15 – The communications Authority of Kenya has extended the mandatory nationwide SIM card registration exercise by a further 6 months.

Millions of Kenyans were staring at a possible deactivation of their mobile lines if they failed to comply with the directive.

CA Director General Ezra Chiloba Friday however in a statement said that the authority decided to extend the validation exercise in order to give Kenyans adequate time to complete the process.

“The new deadline for updating subscriber registration details will be 15th October 2022. During this period, the Authority will undertake monthly reviews to access progress,” said Chiloba.

At the expiry of the six months, the authority is expected to conduct a compliance audit on all the mobile operators.

Further Chiloba said that noncompliance with the SIM card registration regulations 2015 by either operators or subscribers will attract, “immediate penalties as laid out by law.”

Concerns were meanwhile raised over operators’ preparedness to conduct the exercise fully as well as respond to issues raised by consumers.

Some of the issues include: how to address the needs of subscribers outside the country, how to reach subscribers in rural and remote parts of the country, and how to avail the service to the vulnerable population who may not be in a position to present themselves physically for the exercise.

Kenyans continue to validate their SIM cards via the USSD code *106# platform.

CA says that operators have a long way to ensure Kenyans validate their SIM cards. Safaricom has recorded 67 per cent compliance. Airtel 55 per cent and Telkom Kenya has recorded a 33 per cent compliance.