EAC members move to tame mobile money fraud

Politics and policy

Telecoms in Tanzania --Airtel, Tigo and Zantel-- have partnered in a deal to adopt interoperable mobile money services. Photo/FILE 

By BD REPORTER

In Summary

• A statement signed by Kenya’s ICT Secretary Fred Matiang’i, Uganda’s John Nasasira, Jean Philbert Nsengimana of Rwanda and South Sudan’s Rebecca Joshua Okwachi states that the four governments would interconnect national identification (ID) systems.
• “The new framework will help deal with fraud as the region strives to realise financial inclusion for the citizens,” said Joseph Tiampati, the ICT Principal Secretary.

East African nations are working to reach a common SIM card registration framework to help tame crime that is perpetrated using mobile phones

Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan met in Nairobi Thursday where they discussed harmonisation of their legal frameworks to develop a common SIM card registration system.

"SIM card registration has been primarily necessitated by the need to ensure that ICT networks, particularly mobile telecommunications services, are secured from misuse for criminal activities," said the Communications Authority director-general Francis Wangusi.

DEAL WITH FRAUD

“The new framework will help deal with fraud as the region strives to realise financial inclusion for the citizens,” said Joseph Tiampati, the ICT Principal Secretary.

A statement signed by Kenya’s ICT Secretary Fred Matiang’i, Uganda’s John Nasasira, Jean Philbert Nsengimana of Rwanda and South Sudan’s Rebecca Joshua Okwachi states that the four countries would interconnect national identification (ID) systems.

Mr Wangusi said the ID cards will then be linked to SIM cards of mobile users as in the case of Kenya.

In the new arrangement, Uganda for instance will recognise a Kenyan registered SIM card from its end and trace the owner in case it is used to commit a crime.

The region last year reached a deal that saw the cost of cross-border calls between member countries drop.

The member countries are now working to also have common charges for data and mobile money services with Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan