The Kenyan SIM Card Police Are Here

[Jaymo]

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) is putting a lock on loose digital identities. Say goodbye to your unregistered burner phone because they just dropped the hammer with the new Kenya Information and Communications (Registration of Telecommunications Service Subscribers) Regulations, 2025.

• Identity, Please: These regulations are all about strict verification of your SIM card/service registration. This means telecom providers have to cross-check your ID against government records and keep cleaner books.
• The 90-Day Clock: If your registration details are messy, your provider will give you a warning. Fail to comply within 90 days of that notice, and your service will be suspended and eventually deactivated. No compliance, no calls, no M-Pesa.

The CA is the regulatory bouncer for all things e-commerce, broadcasting, and mobile. They want a tidy house to fight fraud and cybercrime. Everyone (that means you and your service provider) must be in compliance.

Action Item: If your operator asks you to update your details, don't wait. The grace period is short, and the consequence is losing your number.

Thoughts? Is this a necessary crackdown on digital crime, or just more bureaucratic red tape?