The Communications Authority of Kenya has rescinded an earlier directive ordering Kenyans to register their SIM cards afresh.
CA Director General, Ezra Chiloba, stated that the directive applies to only those who have unregistered SIM cards.
The u-turn by Chiloba and his team came just two days after he issued a warning that Kenyans who do not register their SIM cards afresh would be fined Ksh300,000 or imprisoned for six months.
Chiloba had set April 15 as the deadline for the re-registration of the SIM cards.
Kenyans who had purchased SIM cards as recently as in 2021 were also asked to re-register. CA stated that it aimed at curbing dual or more illegal SIM registrations.
Following the CA threats, Kenyans expressed their dissatisfaction accusing the government agency of failing to explain why they ought to register already registered sim cards.
Eliud Karanja filed a lawsuit at the High Court seeking to have the authority barred from conducting the exercise which attracted nationwide condemnation.
“A declaration that the Directive from the 1st Respondent for the 1st and 2nd Respondents and the Interested Party to carry out fresh registration of their existing and already registered mobile telephone service subscribers is unconstitutional and, therefore, null and void,” the petition read.
Former Law Society of Kenya President, Nelson Havi, had also threatened to file a case against CA and telecommunications companies.
"I acknowledge a text to update my SIM card registration to avoid disconnection. You have my ID card with which the SIM card was registered. I will take legal action against you should my line be disconnected.
"No Kenyan should be inconvenienced or put to unnecessary expense even for Ksh1 by mobile phone services providers," the Westland's MP aspirant tweeted.
Mobile users have been asked to use the *106# USSD code to check the numbers registered under their National Identity cards.
