No, telcos won’t take your DNA: Breaking down new SIM-registration regulations
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
New Kenyan SIM-card registration regulations have caused public concern due to an expanded legal definition including sensitive biometric data like DNA, despite telcos not being instructed to collect it. The regulations aim to curb identity theft and fraud, replacing the previous framework with stricter verification rules.
- The regulations, Kenya Information and Communications (Registration of Telecommunications Service Subscribers) Regulations, 2025, took effect on May 30, 2025.
- The Communications Authority (CA) has clarified that no directive for biometric data collection has been issued.
- Mobile operators are required to register subscribers using original ID documents and authenticate them through government databases.
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Regulators Sanction Ex-Bank Execs, Approve Takeover, and Enforce New SIM Rules - November 2025
The Capital Markets Authority (CMA) has sanctioned former executives of Chase Bank Kenya Limited with heavy fines and market bans for breaches related to the bank’s 2015 Sh10 billion medium-term note program. This action follows an inquiry into violations contributing to the bank's collapse. Separately, the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) approved the acquisition of Mace Consult Holdings Limited by Consult Bidco Limited, stating the deal complies with merger regulations. Concurrently, new Kenyan SIM-card registration regulations have been introduced to curb identity theft and fraud. These rules replace the previous framework with stricter verification and have caused public concern due to an expanded legal definition including sensitive biometric data.
