The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) is set to punish public service vehicle (PSV) saccos and postal offices operating without the authority’s postal courier service licenses.

CA’s Director General, David Mugonyi, said e-commerce players conducting these services without requisite licensing from CA risk a fine of not less than Kes 300,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years.

He said it is responsible for facilitating domestic and cross-border e-commerce activities by licensing national and international courier providers.

“Pursuant to Section 49 of the Kenya Information and Communication Act, 1998, any person found contravening these provisions commits an offense and shall be subject to penalties upon conviction.”

“To operate lawfully, it is important to obtain the appropriate license from the authority and maintain compliance with regulatory requirements at all times,” he said.

Public members have been urged to verify the validity of courier service providers to ensure the safety of their items and prevent other risks associated with engaging unauthorized service providers.

Engaging with verified courier services also enables customers to be compensated in case their goods and items get lost.

“Members of the public are therefore advised to engage the services of licensed postal and courier operators to ensure the safety of their items and mitigate other risks associated with unauthorized service providers.”

The CAK's website has published a comprehensive list of authorized and licensed courier services.