The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has announced new regulatory changes aimed at tightening scrutiny of cyber cafes nationwide.
In a public notice issued on December 23, 2024, CA Director General David Mugonyi invited members of the public and stakeholders to share their views on the proposed review while expressing concern over the growing number of cyber cafes operating across the country and the resulting regulatory challenges.
As part of the planned review, the authority proposes a range of measures to ensure better oversight and control of these establishments.
The measures, CA explained, are set to be implemented by undertaking a review of the Unified Licensing Framework (ULF).
ULF is a technology and service-neutral telecommunications market structure operated by the Authority which licenses entities within the ICT sector in Kenya.
The Authority currently has a provision to license cyber cafe’s under a category called the Public Communication Access Centre (PCAC).
According to Mugonyi, the CA’s goal is to address regulatory challenges by ensuring that cyber cafes comply with standards that align with national security and consumer protection.
Among the proposed changes are provisions for cyber cafes to implement detailed record-keeping systems, including logging-in software to track users, and the installation of CCTV surveillance to monitor activities within the facilities.
CA announces changes targeting cyber cafes countrywide
Additionally, the CA is seeking to enforce strict identification requirements for individuals accessing services at cyber cafes.
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The proposed changes also aim to improve the integrity of online services in an era where cybercrimes are becoming more prevalent.
The public has been invited to review the proposals and submit feedback on the proposed regulations.
Comments can be submitted before 5 p.m. on January 23, 2025, either via email at [email protected] or through other specified submission channels.
The new changes are among a draft of regulatory reforms undertaken by CA this year in its goal to safeguard the ICT sector in Kenya. The cyber cafes’ crackdown comes months after the Authority revoked the licenses of numerous service providers and operators.
CA revokes licenses of service providers
In a gazette notice published on October 11, CA Director General Mugonyi announced the revocation of licenses for 426 service providers. The revocation, which was set to take effect within seven days from the Gazette publication, was a significant move in addressing non-compliance within the sector.
“NOTICE is given pursuant to the provisions of the Kenya Information and Communications Act that the Communications Authority of Kenya shall revoke the licenses of the following service providers/operators within seven (7) days from the date of this Gazette Notice,” the notice stated.
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Mugonyi clarified that any resources held under the revoked licenses would be reverted to the Authority once the revocation took effect.
Upon revocation of the listed licenses, the service providers/operators were not authorized to operate and provide the services as indicated by the Authority.
CA classified the companies whose licenses had revoked under Application Service Providers (ASP), Network Facility Providers (NFP), and Content Service Providers (CSP).
269 licenses of Content Service Providers were revoked. On the other hand, the licenses of 113 Application Service Providers were also revoked.
The revocations notably come after CA revoked licenses for 27 courier service providers in July.
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