NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 28 – Immigrations Principal Secretary Julius Bitok says the planned national digital identity roll-out will transform the country for the better, urging Kenyans to embrace the initiative.
Bitok told journalists Thursday that the proposed Maisha Namba rollout slated to be officially unveiled Monday, will be critical in enhancing service delivery to Kenyans.
He stressed the government’s readiness to listen to the views of all stakeholders, including citizens, the private sector, and rights organizations to guarantee the success of the project.
“The government has been trying this four times and has not succeeded, because of exclusivity. We said this time round, we want to get it right by ensuring that every person who has a different idea, or opinion, we give them a chance by listening to them,” he said when he briefed reporters on the progress of the project.
This meeting comes a week after Bitok met with members of the civil society organisations who had earlier voiced their reservations over the ‘rushed’ rollout of the document.
During the September 20 consultative forum, Bitok assured the public that the Unique Personal Identifier (UPI), Maisha Number will be a secure database.
President William Ruto will launch the Sh1bn project to transition the country into a digital UPI-based national identity database.
The assurance came as rights groups and section of Kenyans expressed concerns over the security of their personal data.
“We are going to have a system which is full proof that’s going to ensure that whatever document you have is authentic and that whatever you want to transact, every institution whether its banks, hospitals education institutions, you have a document that is able to reflect who you,” he said.
Bitok disclosed that both parties had reached an agreement to collaborate and address concerns, including enhancing the document’s safety features.
The Immigration PS said that every Kenyan will have an opportunity to give feedback on the implementation of national digital IDs.
He added that the national digital identity document will be an all-inclusive document that notes will play a crucial role in eliminating marginalization of communities.
“It is going to be all-inclusive for all of us, it is going to capture all what is required to ensure that we have a digital identity for all Kenyans,” he adds
Lifelong UPI
The Maisha Number will replace the country’s second-generation identity cards.
“The National Steering Committee for Digital Identity has approved the proposals made by the national digital identity technical committee to have a National digital ID implemented according to the directive issued by President William Ruto on June 30,” Bitok said.
He explained that the National Digital Identity has four components, UPI (Maisha Number), Maisha Card (a third generation ID card), Digital ID that could be linked to a mobile phone, and a National Master Population Register consisting all persons living in Kenya.
The Immigration PS said the technical committee is going to roll out activities towards implementation of national digital identity within the 90 days directed president.
Once assigned at birth, the Maisha Number will serve as a lifelong UPI, streamlining documentation processes throughout an individual’s lifetime.
“It will be a Unique Personal Identifier across the lifetime of someone that is why we are calling it the Maisha Number. It is a lifetime number from birth to death, for all documents that will be the number that will be used,” he said.
PS Bitok clarified that, unlike the Huduma Number, which required the collection of biometric data from the public, the Maisha Number will be generated using existing databases, including those from civil registration.
For those seeking ID replacements, the new cards will take the form of Maisha cards, with the government transitioning to third-generation cards moving forward.
September 30 cutoff
He said the government will cease issuance of second-generation cards after September 30 with new applicants acquiring Maisha Number.
“For those turning 18 we will start immediately issuing them the Maisha Number. For those who have lost their ID’s, we are going to give them the new digital ID cards without necessarily starting afresh like Huduma Number,” the PS explained.
Bitok emphasized that the Maisha Number will feature a Machine-Readable Zone compliant with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
This enhancement, according to PS Bitok, distinguishes the Maisha Card from its predecessor, the Huduma Card.
“In the Huduma Card we didn’t have the Machine-Readable zone. However, in Maisha Card, we are going to have that part captured and is a very important part according to ICAO standards and this a very different product all together,” he said.
The PS acknowledged that the project would require time for a comprehensive rollout, estimating a transition period of 2 to 3 years to fully implement the new IDs.
