Africa-Press – Namibia. THE Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) has assured that the mandatory SIM card registration process is not intended to be a tool for mass surveillance.
“The Subscriber Identity Module(SlM)card registration initiative is not a vehicle for government surveillance; it plays a crucial role in combating phone-based fraud,identity theft,and other criminal activities,” MICT’s Executive Director (ED), Dr Audrin Mathe, said.
He clarified that mobile service operators are not authorized to intercept communications, but only law enforcement agencies can access SIM users’ call data following a reported crime and upon the issuance of a warrant by a judge.
This, the ED added, is in accordance with the Namibia Central Intelligence Service Act of 1997 and the Terrorism Act, which is already in operation and strictly regulates interception, permitting it only under judicial authorization subsequent to a reported offense.
“The Government has implemented mandatory SIM registration to comply with Section 73 of the Communications Act 2009,” Mathe said.
The ministry, therefore, still urges the public to register their SIM cards before the end of March to avoid the disconnection of service.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
