Kenya cracks down on counterfeit mobile devices

The Kenyan government, through the Communication Authority (CA), has revealed plans to implement Device Management Systems (DMS) on mobile phones to fight against counterfeit devices and deter theft.

Eliud Owalo, the ICT Cabinet Secretary, made this announcement at the Senate ICT Committee meeting in Nairobi. He expressed that the DMS would help tackle SIM Boxing, a major challenge for telecom operators worldwide, particularly prevalent within the vibrant telecom market in Africa.

Owalo highlighted the significant issue counterfeit devices pose in Kenya due to the integral role mobile phones play in society.

DMS was initially introduced in Kenya in 2016 but was halted due to court interference. Safaricom, a prominent telco in Kenya, rejected the regulator’s request to install DMS on its network, due to unaddressed data privacy concerns.

Following a constitutional case that attempted to challenge the DMS installation in the High Court, the Supreme Court dismissed the case in April this year, thereby allowing the CA to proceed with the installation.

Owalo stated that the CA partners with various government agencies, including the Anti-Counterfeit Agency (ACA) and the Kenya Bureau of Standards, to scrutinize and take action against counterfeit devices. He reassured that the implementation would strictly adhere to the Constitution and other relevant laws in the country and is not intended for surveillance of citizens’ communications.

The Anti-Counterfeit Agency reported in 2019 that mobile phones make up 51.8% of all counterfeit goods in Kenya. Therefore, this initiative is expected to significantly curb this issue.