Not All SIM Cards Require Registration, Chiloba Says

The Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) has clarified that not all SIM cards are required to be registered afresh.

In a statement issued to newsrooms, CA Director General Ezra Chiloba clarified that the exercise is not re-registration or a fresh registration exercise.

“We have agreed that this is not re-registration or fresh registration exercise. It is an opportunity for operators and their customers to validate respective details of registration. The exercise will address the documentation gaps that have become commonplace,” he said.

According to the agency, the exercise only targets SIM cards with gaps in registration.

“SIM cards are sold without registration and customers are advised to register later. SIM cards are sold using another person’s ID card or proxy, or other documents like the NSSF cards and student IDs, among others. SIM cards are given for free, use of fictitious identity card numbers in most cases, therefore not resulting in registration but the sale of the line. SIM cards are sold without the presentation of an identification document and no verification is done,” part of the statement reads.

CA also clarified that the regulations do not require subscribers to submit photos of themselves during registration or verification exercise. However, records of subscribers must include identification documents such as the National ID, service cards for disciplined forces, passports and birth certification whichever is applicable.

The Authority had directed operators to take the necessary steps to ensure full compliance of the law on SIM Card registration by setting the April 15th, 2022, deadline. According to CA, subscribers with unregistered SIM cards after the deadline risk a $3000 dollar fine or a jail term of six months or both.

The move by CA to call for sim card registration did not sit well with most Kenyans who took to social media to complain.

“Explain please. What does unregistered line means? When you buy a new SIM card you must register for you to start using it, so please elaborate on your point “unregistered lines,” Queen Sharon said on Facebook.

Ephraim Njega commented, “This SIM card re-registration is just another Huduma Namba nonsense. It is the business of Telcos to register users.”

“Is just a few people who have Internet access who keep on complaining online, out here queues on the registration is the norm of the day! The fewer minority will always force issues on the majority to safeguard their interests,” Sirus Matuti said.

Subscribers do not have to physically present themselves at the operator’s customer service centres unless it is necessary. You can check the USSD code *106# shall be used by all operators for verification.