C
Originally published by Capital Newstop
November 19, 2025
7h ago
Facts: Kenya’s new SIM rules and the biometric data controversy
Kenya's 2025 SIM-card registration regulations list sensitive biometric identifiers like DNA and retinal scans — but do not require telcos to collect them. Here is a detailed explainer of what the new rules mandate, how verification works, suspension timelines, penalties, and y..
✨ Key Highlights
Kenya's new SIM-card registration regulations, effective May 30, 2025, have sparked public concern over the inclusion of sensitive biometric identifiers like DNA and retinal scans in the legal definition of personal data, despite mobile operators not being instructed to collect them.
- The regulations, officially the Kenya Information and Communications (Registration of Telecommunications Service Subscribers) Regulations, 2025, replace previous frameworks with stricter verification requirements.
- The Communications Authority (CA) has clarified that no directives instruct operators to collect biometric data such as fingerprints, retinal scans, or DNA samples.
- Mobile operators are primarily required to register subscribers using original identification documents like national IDs and passports, and authenticate these via relevant government databases.
Continue Reading
Read the complete article from Capital News
