The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has issued new directives aimed at ensuring tax compliance and integrity in the assembly, importation, and distribution of mobile devices within the country.

These regulations, set to take effect on January 1, 2025, will target all mobile phone devices either locally assembled or imported into Kenya, with the goal of promoting transparency and accountability in the telecommunications sector.

Among the measures introduced, local assemblers are now required to upload the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers of each assembled device to a portal provided by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

This move, according to the CA, is designed to ensure that all locally manufactured devices meet tax compliance standards.

For importers, a critical requirement has been put in place.

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“All mobile phone importers (sale, testing, research or any other purpose) will be required to disclose the International Mobile Equipment Identity Number in their respective import documents submitted to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA),” stated the CA.

The disclosed IMEI numbers will be used to register the devices in the National Master Database on Tax-Compliant Devices.

Retailers and wholesalers will not be exempt from the new regulations.

They will have to verify that all mobile devices sold or distributed are tax compliant.

The CA has assured that it will provide tools to verify the compliance status of mobile devices prior to their sale to retailers or consumers.

The responsibility of mobile network operators has also been heightened under the new rules.

Operators must ensure that only tax-compliant devices are connected to their networks by verifying the IMEI numbers against a whitelist database provided by the Authority.

Additionally, operators will be tasked with the gray-listing of non-compliant devices, allowing a limited period for their regularization. If devices fail to comply within the prescribed timeframe, they will face blacklisting.

“These new requirements will only apply to all devices imported or assembled in the country from November 1, 2024,” clarified the CA, adding that any devices already in use on local networks as of October 31, 2024, will not be affected by these changes.

The CA’s new framework underscores its broader mandate in regulating Kenya’s ICT industry, including telecommunications, e-commerce, cybersecurity, and broadcasting.

By enforcing these measures, the Authority aims to bolster consumer protection and ensure a fair and transparent ICT environment in the country.