Nairobi, July 22 -- All mobile phones, tablets, and laptops sold in Kenya must now come with a minimum one-year warranty and a return policy under new consumer protection rules, putting vendors at risk of fines of at least Sh500,000 for breaches.

The new guidelines issued by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) require businesses selling low-powered electronic gadgets to provide a warranty for at least 12 months, allowing customers to return faulty products.

The vendors must also provide buyers with after-sales support, such as repairs throughout the warranty period.

The Communications Equipment Vendor (CEV) Class Licence guidelines capture gadgets such as mobile phones, tablets, laptops, set-top boxes, remote devices and trackin...