On Monday 01 October, Kenyan authorities enforced a crackdown on counterfeit mobile phones by blocking service to subscribers making use of fake devices.
Local media reports claim that as many as three million mobile phone users across the country could be without service .
Although there have been mixed reactions to the action by authorities, IT experts and mobile phone operators say the government move is a positive step in creating a market for cheaper hand devices, which China’s Huawei has already begun filling in the country.
The Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) believes that working with mobile phone operators to develop a database of all proper phones in the country will help boost the industry.
If a customer’s phone ID number is not on the current list, deactivation will occur.
Francis Wangusi, Director General of the CCK said at a press conference discussing the move that “security is the country’s primary concern, particularly as many Kenyans use their phones to conduct money transfers through programs like M-Pesa.”
He added in a discussion with Voice of America: “… we are pre-empting what possibly could happen just in case criminals become smarter, to try an use the invalidity of the IMEI numbers on counterfeit mobile phones to be able to escape the police dragnet in case they have used it for intruding into the M-Pesa system,” said Wangusi.
Mohammad Awad
