Case challenging government’s requirement for passengers entering Kenya to declare the IMEI has been directed to December 18th by the High Court.
Justice Chacha Mwita directed that respondents in the case to file and serve their respondents before the hearing date.
Last week Friday the court has issued orders that stopped the government from implementing orders requiring passengers entering Kenya to declare the IMEI numbers of any mobile devices they intend to use while in the country.
Photo: Courtesy
The policy of registering IMEI’s aimed at preventing the rise of unregistered devices that often avoid tax and safety standards.
It was set to take place as from 1st January 2025.
Katiba institute on the other hand argued that the mandatory disclosure of IMEI numbers poses a significant risk to an individuals’ rights and freedoms.
It will diminish the right to privacy and even pose risks against an individual’s life warranting them to State surveillance.
IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity, and it’s a unique 15–17-digit number that identifies a mobile phone.
Every mobile phone number has an IMEI number, which is stored in the Equipment Identity Register (EIR)
