An estimated 25 million Kenyans have been switched off air, after failing to beat the October 15, 2022 deadline to register their SIM card with their various telco service providers.

The Director General (DG) Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) Ezra Chiloba yesterday said as of the deadline, 40 million SIM cards had been duly processed, against a total 64.7 million subscribers.

Speaking on the sidelines of a three-day cyber security conference he opened in Naivasha yesterday, Chiloba said Safaricom had the highest number of SIM card verification at 93 per cent, followed by Airtel with 81 per cent.

“The Telkom Kenya case is still under review and more details shall be provided upon conclusion,” Chiloba said.

He said the onus was now upon the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to ensure the non-compliant subscriber’s get registered, and has awarded them 60 days, a period he said was not an extension but would be used to deny unregistered subscriber crucial services including SMS, data, voice and mobile banking services to prompt further compliances.

“We have been exploring options in terms of how to push the numbers for them so that those who are going to be disconnect where there is evidence that you are not an active user, we need to disconnect that line,” the DG said, adding that operators will play a more critical role in terms of how to ensure the 100 per cent compliance rate is achieved.

SIM cards identification

He warned those not compliant that it was in their best interest to register and avoid blame when SIM cards/identification details are used by criminals. “So Kenyans at large must be very careful. For us, CA, if you register, we can guarantee your safety. If you don’t register, we can’t guarantee safety.”

Contracts between subscribers and the MNO in Kenya depended on active lines. If a mobile number is left unused for some time, it will most likely be issued to a new subscriber.

Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom, will usually wait for a period of not more than six months since the SIM card was last active on their network to declare it dormant and issue it to the next subscriber looking to join their network.

The DG said he has received cases where people’s SIM cards details have been acquired by criminals and the numbers used to accumulate Fuliza debts fraudulently to the extent that the real owners have difficulties processing credit facilities with their financial institutions.

Last week, the CA said between February and June 2022, there were 264,000 numbers deregistered, though the information is being analyzed further, to verify reports indicating the numbers had risen to 500,000.

“We are not sure about that so this window of between October 15 and maybe end of next week, we will be able to narrow down to know the exact figures in terms of what has actually happened in terms of disconnections,” Chiloba said.

The SIM card registration targets to reduce cases of SIM-boxing, financial fraud, kidnapping, terrorism and related crimes that prevail in situations of compromised SIM card registration.

On limiting the number of SIM cards per subscriber, Chiloba said the discussion was still going on. In April this year, the DG indicated that the Authority had started a process to limit the number of SIM cards per subscriber to five, as part of proposals to review the ICT regulations being carried out by the Ministry of ICT, Youth Affairs and Innovation. A task force was gazetted in April this year, he said.

CA first attempted to cap SIM card ownership in 2016 by limiting individual subscribers to a maximum of 10 active SIM cards, as part of a drive to curb mobile phone crimes.