The High Court has once again halted the government’s plan to implement mandatory registration of International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers for all mobile phones entering Kenya.
Justice Chacha Mwita issued the latest ruling on March 21, 2025, extending a previous order for an additional four months. This means the government will have to wait before enforcing the controversial directive, which has sparked concerns over potential privacy violations.
The case was filed by Katiba Institute, a lobby group advocating for constitutional rights. In its petition, the organization challenged the legality of public notices issued by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), which required mobile phone users, importers, and manufacturers to register IMEI numbers.
Katiba Institute argued that the directive was unjustified and disproportionate, warning that granting CA and KRA access to mobile service provider data could lead to mass surveillance by tracking people’s movements and communication history.
“Without proper safeguards, the government appears to be overstepping its powers to establish a surveillance system,” the petition stated.
The IMEI registration requirement was set to make it mandatory for passengers entering Kenya to declare their devices’ unique IMEI numbers and fill out a form. Mobile network operators would also be required to only connect registered devices whose details had been submitted to the CA.
This is the second time Justice Mwita has issued a conservatory order blocking the rollout of the directive. In December 2024, he had previously extended the ban until February 2025. However, the case did not proceed at the time due to delayed government responses.
The High Court has now set July 4, 2025, as the date for delivering a final judgment on the matter.
