•Laywer Ahmednasir Abdullahi also lamented of his line Safaricom being switched off despite being a loyal customer for 25 years.
•Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo said he was also a victim of the closure.
Top politicians are among Kenyans whose SIM cards have been deactivated following October 15, 2022 deadline issued by Telcos.
Safaricom, Airtel Kenya and Telkom had set Saturday, October 15, 2022, as the deadline for SIM card registration.
On Sunday morning,Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei complained on social media that his Safaricom line had been switched off.
"After 15years of having Safaricom @SafaricomPLC lines they have decided to switch off their services today morning inconveniencing me," he tweeted.
The Senator suggested that the country needs a vibrant competitor.
Lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi also lamented after his was deactivated despite being a loyal customer for 25 years.
"After 2 and half decades of being a loyal customer of @Safaricom_Care they unceremoniously switched off my line this Sunday...tomorrow I will move to one of the competitors and will never use their service again," he tweeted.
Reacting to his statement, Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo said he was also a victim of the closure.
"I suffered the same fate. It took a while to figure out that my line had been barred," he added.
Former Wajir Woman Rep Fatuma Gedi was another causality .
"Same with me Safaricom kwaheri," she replied to Abdullahi's tweet.
After 2 and half decades of being a loyal customer of @Safaricom_Care they unceremoniously switched off my line this sunday...tomorrow I will move to one of the competitors and will NEVER use their service again.I knew that short man will burn to ashes the House built by Michael!
— Ahmednasir Abdullahi SC (@ahmednasirlaw) October 16, 2022
The Communication Authority (CA) on April 14, extended the SIM registration deadline to October 15, 2022, to allow more time for network operators and subscribers to comply with the directive.
The regulator had earlier set a deadline of April 15 for the exercise.
As a precondition of the registration, subscribers must submit to have their photographs taken, processed and retained.
They must also provide a signature and disclose whether they have other lines registered to them, failure to which, their unregistered cards will be switched off.
Nevertheless, subscribers whose lines will have been deactivated, still have a chance to re-register after the October 15, 2022 deadline.
However, the process will have to be longer, compared to what is required to re-register.
The Communication Authority of Kenya on Friday clarified that SIM registration is a continuous process despite Saturday’s deadline.
After 15years of having safaricom @SafaricomPLC lines they have decided to switch off their services today morning inconveniencing me.
— Senator Kiprotich Arap Cherargei (@scherargei) October 16, 2022
.we need a vibrant competitor to finish safaricom monopoly of communications any options ?
Competition Authority of kenya (CAK) over to you !
I have fought for this country to stand independent and that includes respecting the laid laws. Senior counsel, Obey the laws of the land
— Official Opposition leader Kenya (@Thepresident_KE) October 16, 2022
Alaaar!!! ^Jamo
— Airtel Kenya (@AIRTEL_KE) October 16, 2022