The government has urged all refugees in the country to refrain from registering their SIM cards using borrowed Kenyan IDs and instead use their own Refugee IDs.
In a notice on Thursday, June 12, the Department of Refugee Services announced that all refugees in the country can legally register their SIM cards using their Refugee ID, enabling access to essential services such as mobile money.
The department directed all refugees who had used someone else’s ID card to register their SIM cards to immediately regularise their registration.
According to the department, registering a SIM card with another person’s ID violates Regulation 9 of the new Kenya Information and Communications Regulations, 2025.
“Pursuant to the gazettement of The Kenya Information and Communications (Registration of Telecommunications Service Subscribers) Regulations 2025, DRS is hereby urging all refugees who have registered mobile phone SIM cards using borrowed Kenyan IDs to cease the practice immediately and regularise their SIM card registration,” it stated.
“Proxy registration of SIM cards is therefore in violation of Regulation 9 of the new Kenya Information and Communications Regulations, 2025. All concerned individuals are urged to take immediate action to comply,” it added.
The announcement comes two months after the Cabinet, through a statement on Tuesday, March 11, endorsed the Shirika Plan, a strategy aimed at supporting refugees with a focus on long-term development rather than short-term aid.
Through the plan, the government aims to integrate refugees into host communities, addressing issues that have led to unrest and protests among refugee populations.
Under the Shirika plan, refugees in the country will also be given opportunities to work and contribute to the country's economy.
Furthermore, according to the Cabinet, refugee camps will be transformed into areas with essential infrastructure like schools, hospitals, and housing through the plan.
"In addressing refugee management, the Cabinet endorsed the Shirika Plan, a transformative framework shifting Kenya’s approach from humanitarian aid to a development-focused model," the statement read.
"The plan seeks to integrate refugees into host communities by transforming camps into sustainable settlements equipped with essential infrastructure, resources, and economic opportunities," it added.
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