ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo has announced that the government will not force Kenyans to get the digital identity card, walking away from the directives of the previous regime.
The identity card, previously referred to as Huduma Number, was supposed to replace the current identity cards which the government argues is old-fashioned.
But in a move seen to encourage compliance, the state now wants people to decide whether they want the cards or not. Owalo has noted that it is not the role of the government to force people to register, instead, the decision should be left to Kenyans to decide.
A section of Kenyans had expressed reservations with the plan, arguing that a new card could just be issued with current numbers without overhauling the system
“We will not force any Kenyan to take a digital identity. The honours will be in you to decide whether you want to consume govt services through digital identity based on your biodata or you want to physically visit govt offices,” Owalo noted.
"We need virtual means through which the government can confirm you are who you claim to be. It will be upon you now to decide whether you want to take it."
Owalo added that it will be upon Kenyans to decide whether they want to be identified digitally or go on with the old system.
Initially, the government had planned to phase out the current generation of identity cards for a new one that would merge all the government-issued documents including birth certificates, NHIF numbers, and NSSF numbers among others.
“The government is deliberating the implementation of a civil registration and vital statistics system that meets the imperatives of a new digital era,” Owalo stated.
The programme stalled after several glitches that saw former President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration abandon the plan after billions of taxpayer money were spent.
Kenya Kwanza government revived the plans in early 2023 and has not given clear guidelines as to when the exercise will be rolled out.
The ministry has not also indicated whether the data that was collected during the mass registration exercise will be used to process the cards.
“The new system must be able to assign unique personal identification numbers at birth to all persons born in Kenya,” Owalo noted.
