The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has clarified that traders with stocks of low-cost phones and other charging devices can sell them, but new imports must use USB Type-C. The statement follows public uproar this week. CA denied claims that the rules target low-end phones.
The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) issued a clarification on March 26, one day after public uproar spread online. This followed their notice on March 24, announcing the mandatory adoption of USB Type-C chargers as the standard for all mobile cell phones sold or produced in the country.
CA stated, “The Authority notes with concern the widespread misrepresentation suggesting that the notice seeks to ban or phase out the use of low-cost or entry-level mobile phones in Kenya. These claims are inaccurate and a misrepresentation of the Authority’s regulatory intent.”
According to CA, the notice does not require consumers to discard existing devices, and users can continue using their phones without disruption. Phones and tablets type-approved prior to March 24, 2026, or already in shipment or awaiting shipment, remain fully legal. There is no ban on the use, ownership, or continued sale of existing approved stock.
The new specifications update technical requirements for type approval of mobile cellular devices, including smartphones, feature phones, and tablets. Effective March 24, 2026, all devices seeking type approval must use USB Type-C as the charging interface, with detachable charging cables from power adapters.
CA emphasized that technical specifications form the basis for evaluating new type approval applications and do not require a transitional period, “hence do not require a transitional period.”
