Communications Authority of Kenya sets new SIM card deactivation rules

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) has introduced new procedures and technical safeguards to regulate the deactivation and recycling of inactive SIM cards. Appearing before the National Assembly Public Petitions Committee on October 6, 2026, CA CEO and Director General David Mugonyi assured subscribers that they will be notified before their numbers are reallocated.

Under the new guidelines, mobile service providers must use contact information from their subscriber databases, including alternative contacts collected during the Know Your Customer (KYC) registration process. Operators are required to contact subscribers whose numbers have been continuously inactive for more than three months. This notification process must continue for three months before a number becomes eligible for deactivation and recycling.

Additionally, service providers must issue a generic public notice regarding their intention to recycle numbers that have been inactive for more than six months. This notice must include a USSD code, allowing members of the public to check if their specific numbers are affected.