- The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has issued that dealers in Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT) equipment must comply with the required approval processes before selling or distributing their products.
- In a statement, the CA notified all stakeholders, including manufacturers, vendors, importers, and service providers, to register any equipment intended for connection to the Public Switched Telecommunication Network (PSTN) before its sale or use.
- The directive aims to safeguard consumer health and safety, uphold public interest, and secure telecommunications networks in the country, ensuring that they conform to both national and locally recognised international standards.
Furthermore, CA warned that non-compliance with the type approval requirement would result in legal consequences, as specified in the ICT sector regulations.
Type approval is a regulatory process through which the authority evaluates and certifies ICT equipment to ensure compliance with technical standards, safety requirements, and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) guidelines.
This certification is mandatory for all ICT equipment intended for use in Kenya. The type-approved category includes smartphone brands, routers, modems, tablets, vehicle trackers, and satellite equipment. transceivers, networking equipment
In addition, the ICT sector regulations cover computer-related offences such as timely and effective detection, prohibition, prevention, response, investigation, and prosecution of cybercrimes.
According to the constitution, anyone found guilty of violating the ICT Sector Law faces a three-year prison sentence or a fine of up to Ksh5 million ($38,759) for an offence under section 7, or up to Ksh250,000 ($1,937) for an offence under section 8.
This development follows the report that the government will soon target Kenyans who own phones imported into the country without a record of paying applicable taxes by automatically blocking them from activating any network on the phones.
This will increase revenue collection in the telecommunications market as the state seeks alternative revenue streams.
The ICT Authority Bill 2024, proposed by the country in May 2024, reportedly requires information, communication, and technology (ICT) operators to obtain an operational licence. The bill aims to improve the delivery of ICT services by ensuring their security, efficiency, and high quality, as well as simplifying ICT integration into public service delivery.
