Brakes applied on thin SIM card, again

What you need to know:

  • The lobby, which fights for social justice, constitutionalism and the rule of law, said the communications authority has advertised for consultancy services to undertake evaluation of performance and security features of SIM cards in Kenya with specific reference to the anxiety generated over its use.
  • The new request to halt was made by a lobby group Legal Advice Centre (Kituo Cha Sheria), which argued that the card was being used without a full audit of data security or Personal Identification Numbers on the primary SIM that will be overlaid by the thin one.
  • Legal Advice Centre said the risk is high given that data on the primary SIMs, and PINs of millions of mobile telephone customers including banks, utility companies and security agencies would be compromised in an irreparable manner.

The launch of mobile phone services by Equity Bank through the Thin SIM technology could be delayed further after the High Court on Wednesday stopped it until a suit on its credibility is heard.

Judge George Odunga directed the order to Finserve Africa Ltd, a subsidiary of Equity Bank, and Communications Authority of Kenya.

This is the third time the court is doing so after Mr Daniel Murage complained in October and the Consumers Federation of Kenya in June.

The new request to halt was made by a lobby group Legal Advice Centre (Kituo Cha Sheria), which argued that the card was being used without a full audit of data security or Personal Identification Numbers on the primary SIM that will be overlaid by the thin one.

They argue that a commitment by Equity offering to make compensation in case of fraud, does not match the risk.

Legal Advice Centre said the risk is high given that data on the primary SIMs, and PINs of millions of mobile telephone customers including banks, utility companies and security agencies would be compromised in an irreparable manner.

“The mobile money market currently serves over 25 million people in the country and beyond and these include banks, insurance companies, utility providers as well as security agencies with monthly transactions of approximately Sh200 billion,” Kituo Cha Sheria said.

Statistics published by the Central Bank of Kenya showed that mobile payments from January to September this year stood at Sh1.7 trillion, which Kituo Cha Sheria says, “is more than the country’s annual budget and it is not clear if Finserve can adequately compensate for such risks.”

CONSULTANCY SERVICES

The lobby, which fights for social justice, constitutionalism and the rule of law, said the communications authority has advertised for consultancy services to undertake evaluation of performance and security features of SIM cards in Kenya with specific reference to the anxiety generated over its use.

“It is apparent that the decision to permit the deployment of thin SIM technology then subsequently seeking consultancy services to ascertain its security reveals that the decision was taken in total failure to take into account all considerations,” Kituo Cha Sheria argues.

The anxiety arrises from the decision to permit the card’s use before completing satisfactorily its security features.

Justice Odunga yesterday agreed and stopped its use.

Legal Advice Centre said communications authority’s action are a blatant disregard of the information and communication law and consumer protection regulations.

“It is an obligation of the CA as a public body and regulator, to take into account all relevant considerations prior to and not subsequently make any decision that affects the general public,” Kituo Cha Sheria says.

The case will be heard on January 20, 2014.