‘Over 80% of Kenyan SIM cards registered’

Over 80% of Kenya’s estimated 30.8 million SIM cards were registered before the 31 December disconnection deadline for unregistered SIMs, says the country’s communications watchdog.

The Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) said that this was the figure as of 28 December. Experts have said it could be higher owing to last-minute registrations.

Mobile operators, such as Safaricom, have been instructed to halt services to subscribers who have unregistered SIM cards.

The CCK says the switch-off could help in fighting hate speech and handset propagated crimes, such as mobile money fraud and kidnappings.