NAIROBI, Kenya – Buying a new phone, laptop or tablet in Kenya will soon come with stronger consumer protections after the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) rolled out new licensing rules for electronics dealers.
Under the new Communications Equipment Vendor (CEV) Class Licence Guidelines, businesses selling low-powered electronic communication devices must provide buyers with a minimum one-year warranty, a return policy, and after-sales support throughout the warranty period.
“Ensure that all electronic communications equipment it sells in the Kenyan market shall have, at a minimum, a warranty period of one (1) year with a return policy,” the new licence conditions state.
The regulator has also directed vendors to “provide after-sales services to customers for the duration of the warranty period”.
Retailers that fail to comply with the new requirements face significant penalties, including fines of up to 0.2 per cent of their annual turnover, with a minimum penalty of Sh500,000.
The regulations cover a broad range of electronic communication devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, set-top boxes, remote devices and tracking equipment.
To address the growing trade in refurbished and grey-market electronics, the Communications Authority has introduced mandatory labelling requirements for refurbished devices before they reach consumers.
“Ensure that the packaging of each refurbished electronic communication equipment is clearly and permanently labelled as ‘Refurbished’ in a manner that is visible to end users,” the guidelines state.
The new rules also require vendors to issue official receipts for every purchase, whether made online or in a physical store. The receipt must include the seller’s name, the device model, serial number and the applicable warranty period, making it easier for customers to access warranty services when needed.
Online retailers are equally subject to the new framework and must provide customers with a physical address, email address and telephone number to facilitate customer support and the handling of complaints.
As part of efforts to combat counterfeit and substandard electronics, vendors will only be allowed to source devices from licensed importers and sell products that have been type-approved, type-accepted or exempted by the Communications Authority.
The guidelines further require retailers to educate customers on the environmentally safe disposal of electronic communication equipment.
According to the Communications Authority, the tougher licensing conditions are intended to strengthen consumer protection, enhance accountability among electronics dealers and bring Kenya’s electronics market in line with international best practices.
 directed dealers to provide after-sales services to customers for the duration of the warranty period.){kind=link}