You Don’t Need to Register Afresh: Communications Authority Clarifies SIM Card Registration
The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has clarified that Kenyans whose SIM cards are registered do not need to register them afresh.
CA director-general Ezra Chiloba, in an interview with The Standard, said the agency is only targeting people with unregistered SIM cards and those that are registered using other people’s details.
Chiloba cited a situation where parents and guardians register SIM cards in their name for use by minors.
On Friday, Chiloba warned that the deadline for the exercise will not be extended and urged those who are yet to duly register their SIM cards with their respective telecommunication providers to do so before April 15th, or face disconnection. He argued that the registration exercise has been ongoing since January and Kenyans have been given enough time to comply with the requirement.
CA wants each of the more than 65 million SIM cards in operation in the country to be duly registered in a move aimed at curbing fraud.
A Kenyan living in the United Kingdom sued CA over the directive requiring mobile service operators to register their customers afresh.
Eliud Karanja Matindi wants the court to declare the said directive unconstitutional, arguing that it is in violation and infringement of the Constitution (including the Bill of Rights), statutes, regulations, and other applicable laws.
He avers that it is unconstitutional to require mobile telephone service subscribers who have already registered their SIM cards with their service provider to register afresh.
Long queues have been witnessed at mobile service provider outlets across the country as Kenyans rush to beat the April 15th deadline.
Comments
Register afresh, register…
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Register afresh, register afresh. Never mind you could still verify the said numbers and discard those not needed.
These exercises are nothing but red herrings and waste of resources.
This government is very good…
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This government is very good at disturbing Kenyans with inconvenient busywork while important issues are left to die. Mara Huduma Namba, sijui digital IDs, next day re-register SIM, mara all Title deeds have to be renewed.
Even 1st World countries don't waste taxpayers money on such luxuries. Why would an impoverished, highly indebted nation like Kenya keep wasting people's time and money going down rabbit holes? I'm thoroughly pissed off!
Kenya inaongozwa kivipi kwa…
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Kenya inaongozwa kivipi kwa ukweli? No law and order?
Is the government capturing…
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Is the government capturing this too in an effort to use the phone data for some fishy reasons in the coming elections. Does Chiloba know something IEBC and SIM card re- registration? Why is it being done now and enforced in such a hurry?
We don’t eat damn elections…
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In reply to Is the government capturing… by Asista (not verified)
We don’t eat damn elections muthafaka. That’s all you and Ruto think about with TangaTanga-ring from day break to midnight. Every country on earth do register SIM cards if you didn’t know. However a thief like want things to stay confused so you can keep on stealing. Wacha ujinga.
the diaspora doing biz and…
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the diaspora doing biz and to pay for their family school and other costs in Kenya use the Mpesa. some who are studying for more than a year cannot return to Kenya to re-register. to close their phones is a disaster. what is the registration meant for many for voter fraud ? why now sims are registered with submission of copy of ID and that ID has a photo. when will harrassment stop . we meet the costs why don't they close all sims . we people keep them alive not them us
You don't have to worry…
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In reply to the diaspora doing biz and… by Ayola Tisau (not verified)
You don't have to worry about this bogus plan.Get a new SIM card when you go back to Kenya. It will be a lose to Safaricom and Airtell
WHY NOW THIS REGISTRATION?…
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WHY NOW THIS REGISTRATION? WHY CLOSE TO THE ELECTIONS , SOMETHING IS GOING ON , SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT
Govt is the hqs of…
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Govt is the hqs of inefficiency. Don't you just hate govt. They have no feelings for ppl. Why not do things right one time and keep a record. Soon they will ask ppl to reapply for ID
This Chiloba guy must not…
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This Chiloba guy must not use brain to think. He is not alone in these type of schemes. Remember:
1) How everybody had to get the Huduma number or else…
2) How everybody was asked to get the new passports or else….
3) How ebverybody must register the SIM cards or else….
Is is or was it necessary for everybody to get a new passport etc? What if I don't need Safaricom to send money and use direct banking, Moneygram etc? When are Kenyans going to put their foot down and refuse for Kenya to be run as a boot camp?
No changes until after…
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No changes until after elections.
This mov re is suspicious!!
Useless!
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Useless!
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