Kenya's race to list mobile phone owners

Mobile phone subscribers in Kenya have until end of July to register their numbers or risk losing them.

That was the chilling message the government had for the country’s 20 million mobile phone subscribers on Monday as it launched a public awareness campaign to sensitise Kenyans on the importance of the exercise.

This directive also applies to those taking up mobile phones for the first time as well as those buying additional phone lines.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Dr Bitange Ndemo, further directed that no more mobile phone lines be sold without the buyer presenting his or her identification at the point of purchase.

The move, he said, was aimed at boosting national security and help fight phone related crime like handset thefts, spreading of hate messages, extortions, kidnapping, amongst others.

“It is the government intention to have all mobile subscribers known by their identity. This initiative will no doubt make us achieve this within the shortest time possible,” said Dr Ndemo.

Easy

Previously, access to cellular lines in the country was simple with potential buyers purchasing them from mobile phone provider retail shops or their respective agents without having to identify themselves.

But under the new rules, the users will now be required to give their postal and physical addresses, date of birth and alternative telephone numbers besides their names and identity card numbers.

Minors with mobile phones will be required to be accompanied by an adult who will register as the owner of the line and the minor as the user.

However, on attaining the age of 18, the young adult will be at liberty to change the registration details of the card by submitting copies of their national identification cards with their respective service providers.

Those having more than one line will have to ensure that all of them are registered.

President

This move follows several months of consultations between the industry regulator - the Communications Commission of Kenya and the Ministry of Information and Communications on one hand and the country’s four mobile phone operators on the other.

In July last year, President Kibaki ordered registration for all mobile phone subscribers in the country.

Kenya now joins several other countries - including Tanzania, South Africa, Ethiopia, Cameroon and Botswana - in the registration of mobile phones.

Said Mr Ndemo: “We will all admit that it is not only a national interest but also a business interest to protect the public from threats posed by terrorism, drug trafficking money laundering amongst others.”

He went on: “It is our role as the government to ensure that the safety of Kenyans is safeguarded in all possible ways.”

The PS said the government will soon introduce relevant amendments in the existing laws to address other aspects of communication that pose a threat to national security.