Nairobi — A petitioner has moved the High Court in Nairobi challenging Safaricom's SIM card recycling policy, raising legal questions over digital identity, consumer rights and data privacy.

The case, filed at the Constitutional and Human Rights Division at Milimani, argues that the deactivation and reassignment of a mobile number without notice or consent violated constitutional rights, including privacy, property and fair administrative action.

Petitioner Elias Wanjala Wekesa says the number was linked to his M-Pesa account and financial records, and that its reassignment exposed him to potential loss and data risks.

The dispute centres on whether telecom operators can continue recycling inactive SIM cards under internal policies, despite the growing role of mobile numbers as key digital and financial identifiers.

The outcome could have wider implications for the telecommunications sector, potentially forcing firms to review SIM management policies and strengthen consumer protections if courts recognise phone numbers as protected digital assets.