Kenya Parliament Probes Safaricom SIM Card Reassignment Risks

• Kenya's Parliament is investigating Safaricom's practice of reassigning dormant SIM card numbers due to fraud, financial loss, and data privacy concerns.
• A petition highlights risks for customers unable to use their lines for extended periods, potentially losing access to mobile money and personal data upon reactivation.
• The probe will examine compliance with consumer protection, data privacy, and financial asset management laws, including implications for deceased persons' accounts under the Law of Succession Act.
• MPs shared personal experiences of financial errors due to reassigned numbers and called for Safaricom to implement a notification system for contacts.
• Lawmakers emphasize the critical role of mobile numbers in accessing financial services and urge stronger safeguards to protect customers and their assets.

The potential for a new subscriber to gain access to a previous owner's financial services or personal data through a reassigned number represents a substantial security and privacy risk that the parliamentary committee is mandated to address.

Members of Kenya's Parliament have initiated a comprehensive inquiry into the practice of deactivating and subsequently reassigning dormant Safaricom mobile numbers, citing significant concerns about the potential for customer fraud, financial losses, and unauthorized access to personal information. This parliamentary action, highlighting the Safaricom SIM card reassignment risks Kenya faces, follows a petition submitted by Thompson Kirongo and presented to the National Assembly by Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss.

The petition has been formally referred to the Public Petitions Committee, which is tasked with investigating whether Safaricom's current procedures for handling inactive SIM cards comply with existing legal frameworks. The probe will specifically examine adherence to laws governing consumer protection, data privacy, and the management of financial assets. Under the prevailing system, SIM cards that remain unused for a specified duration, typically six months, are first deactivated. However, a recent High Court ruling in March 2026 declared that phone numbers are digital identifiers and cannot be reassigned to new subscribers without informed and verifiable consent from the previous owner, a reasonable waiting period after public notice, and technical safeguards to prevent access to the previous owner's personal data.

Kirongo's petition argues that this policy disproportionately affects customers who are unable to utilize their mobile lines for extended periods due to various unavoidable circumstances, such as illness, international travel, or incapacitation. The petitioner emphasized that subscribers who later attempt to reactivate their lines often discover they have lost access to critical services, including mobile money accounts, other financial services, and personal data previously linked to their original number. This situation underscores the growing concerns regarding data privacy and financial security in the digital age.

The parliamentary investigation extends to critical legal and financial implications, particularly concerning mobile numbers registered to deceased individuals. Lawmakers are seeking clarity on how these numbers are managed, especially when they remain connected to vital financial platforms like M-Pesa accounts, traditional bank accounts, and other financial services. A key aspect of the Kenya Parliament Safaricom SIM probe is to determine whether the reassignment of such numbers could infringe upon the rights of beneficiaries and authorized representatives as stipulated under the Kenya Law of Succession Act mobile numbers provisions.

Furthermore, the inquiry aims to ascertain the fate of funds associated with dormant or deactivated numbers. Parliamentarians are particularly interested in understanding whether any unclaimed money linked to these numbers is appropriately transferred to the Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority, as required by law. The increasing reliance on mobile numbers as primary identifiers for financial transactions has amplified the M-Pesa dormant number fraud Kenya faces, making the reassignment policy a significant point of vulnerability for consumers and their assets.

These Safaricom data privacy concerns Kenya faces are compounded by the fact that a mobile number often serves as a gateway to an individual's entire digital financial footprint. The potential for a new subscriber to gain access to a previous owner's financial services or personal data through a reassigned number represents a substantial security and privacy risk that the parliamentary committee is mandated to address.

The urgency of the matter was underscored by personal testimonies from Members of Parliament. Matuga MP Kassim Tandaza recounted an incident where he inadvertently sent money to a number saved under a known contact's name, only to discover the number had been reassigned to a different individual, preventing the intended recipient from receiving the funds. Tandaza advocated for Safaricom to implement a robust notification system that would alert individuals who have previously stored a number in their contacts before it is reassigned, emphasizing the telecommunication company's responsibility in preventing such errors.

Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda highlighted the escalating severity of the issue, noting that mobile telephone numbers have evolved into crucial access points for various financial services and personal accounts. She called for the implementation of stronger safeguards, particularly for M-Pesa and other accounts linked to numbers belonging to deceased customers. Lesuuda also pointed out that public figures, such as politicians, are especially susceptible to these risks due to the public availability of their contact information.

Sigowet/Soin MP Justice Kemei stressed the necessity for Parliament to review and strengthen the safeguards governing the telecommunications industry, given the central role mobile communication now plays in daily life. While acknowledging the operational need for service providers to manage dormant lines, Kemei's remarks reinforced the collective sentiment that customer protection and financial security must remain paramount in any reassignment policy.

This development highlights significant compliance and legal risks for financial institutions and businesses relying on mobile numbers for identity verification and account access in Kenya. Lawyers should advise clients on potential fraud, data privacy breaches, and succession law implications arising from Safaricom's SIM reassignment policy, and prepare for potential regulatory changes.

Source: Original reporting via Capital News