Kenyans irked by sim card registration as deadline nears

NAIROBI, Kenya, April 8 – The Government requirement for sim card registration has elicited debate among Kenyans online with various netizens threatening to ignore the directive and risk the suspension of their sim cards by April 15.

The Communication Authority of Kenya has urged Kenyans to register their sim cards, a move aimed at enforcing the SIM card registration regulations of 2015 and subsequently combat cybercrime and fraud in the digital space.

But Kenyans online including former Law Society of Kenya Nelson Havi have questioned the need to register the sim cards terming it as a null and void directive.

SIM cards are registered upon purchase. I believe that is elementary. What then is the purpose of the other registration? Tupunguze ujinga Serikalini tafadhali. Do not be compelled to comply with null and void directives.

— Nelson Havi (@NelsonHavi) April 7, 2022

I currently have SIM cards from 5 providers. Where do I get the time to visit all of them to register already registered lines? Some of the lines I have been using them for close to 20 years. Others are even linked to bank accounts.

— ephraimnjegafans (@ephraimnjegafan) April 7, 2022

Majority Kenyans registered their SIM cards at the point of purchase; yet now you’re to submit new personal data or risk de-registration/hefty fines.

The govt has not done enough to ensure strong safeguards for data protection.

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— KHRC (@thekhrc) April 8, 2022

Hi @Safaricom_Care is there an option to check if my SIM card is fully registered without me going to your shops?

Also is it possible to self register the SIM card?

Asking for people with Safaricom SIM cards and are out of the country and cannot meet the April 15th deadline

— Sam Nato 🍥 (@SamNato) April 6, 2022

A spot check by Capital FM in Nairobi Central Business District noted that all Safaricom shops experienced long queues as Kenyans rushed to beat the deadline.

Already, Safaricom has sent reminders to their customers urging them to register their lines or risk deactivation.

Chiloba said the Communication Authority will not extend the ongoing SIM card registration deadline and urged unregistered mobile subscribers to do so in the remaining days.

He asked all mobile network operators to speed up the data cleanup exercise and said that no more time will be added upon the expiry of the grace period noting that unregistered sim cards have security implications.

“There would be no extension so those still dragging their feet should wake up to the reality and register with their respective telecom service providers or face permanent deactivation,” he said.