Nairobi — Sellers of phones, laptops, smart TVs, tablets and commercial networking equipment will be required to provide a minimum one-year warranty under new regulations issued by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA).

The new Communication Equipment Vendor Class Licence also makes it mandatory for dealers to offer return policies, strengthening consumer protection in the sale of electronic communication devices.

Previously, vendors were not legally required to provide warranties or return policies, leaving consumers exposed to repair costs if products developed faults shortly after purchase.

"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 regulations state.

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

The regulations also require vendors operating online stores to provide a verifiable physical address, email address and phone number to enable customers to access after-sales support.

In addition, dealers must issue official receipts for every sale, whether through physical or online outlets. The receipts must include the seller's name, product model, serial number and warranty period.

"Provide customer support services to assist any person to whom it has sold electronic communications equipment and to answer questions regarding products, services and any other reasonable related questions," the regulations state.

The new rules also introduce stricter requirements for refurbished devices, requiring sellers to clearly and permanently label such products as "Refurbished" to ensure buyers are fully informed before purchase.