Kenya to ban cellphones with less than 8 hours battery

The government is battling to curb the imports of gadgets in the country through the grey market and illegal channels, costing consumers and the government millions annually.

Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) said in the latest notice that it’s illegal to import a mobile phone which does not offer a battery life of at least eight hours talk time or lacks a physical manual, the new guidelines of the government was announced to curb the imports of fake gadgets in the country.

The guideline of the state also said that only the licensed telecommunication vendors will be authorized to import and distribute mobile phones whose batteries are expected to last a minimum of 24 hours when the gadgets are not in use.

The devices are also required to have manufacturer’s brand or identification mark and model or type shall be printed on the mobile device in indelible ink, readily visible and legible.

The government is battling to curb the imports of gadgets in the country through the grey market and illegal channels, costing consumers and the government millions annually. While it is reported that fake goods worth KES 1.2 billion have been sized in the country in the last seven years.

Two years ago the authority cleared out fake devices in a nationwide switch-off campaign indicating that the phones had not been approved by the regulator.

The use of illegal phones may cause a health risk to users with an unstable material used in making the devices which lead to explosion or exposure to radiation.

All mobile phones must comply with radiation safety standards.