President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday urged all Kenyans to turn up for the registration of the National Integrated Identity Management System NIIMS (Huduma Namba) within the next 45 days.
Speaking during the official launch of the exercise at the Masii Public Grounds in Machakos County, Uhuru stressed the importance of getting a Huduma Namba.
The President stated that the Huduma Namba will provide a digital national population register which will be a single source of truth of personal data on all Kenyans and foreign nationals who reside in the country.
According to Uhuru, the reasons why the govt was undertaking the biometric registration was:
1. Implementation of the Big 4 Agenda
NIIMS will facilitate faster and more effective implementation of the Big 4 Agenda.
For instance, Biometric identification and registration of farmers will facilitate fairer allocation of subsidized farm inputs such as seeds and fertilizers by the government.
Huduma Namba will also improve accountability and transparency in the management of the NHIF and inform planning, investment and allocation of affordable housing.
2. Reducing transactional costs for all Kenyans
The Huduma Namba will reduce transactional costs for all Kenyans since they will no longer be required to obtain and carry multiple IDs.
Furthermore, pensioners and widows will receive their dues with much less hassle.
3. Reduce cases of ID theft
NIIMS will significantly reduce cases of ID theft and make financial and property transactions much more secure.
Personal data and information in the NIIMS system including biometrics will help in prevention cases of impersonation.
4. Putting up with global trends
It is an established practice all over the world to register births and deaths. A birth certificate gives identity to a person, rights to nationality, schooling, and passport or property ownership.
A death certificate also enables the families of the deceased to transfer his/her estate.
Huduma Namba will enable Kenyans access the services linked to birth and death certificates more seamlessly.
5. Accessing government resources
Registration is vital for national planning. The government needs accurate, comprehensive and up to date records to address issues such as diseases and injuries that are causing premature deaths.
The registration is also helpful in monitoring progress towards the country’s development goals, including the sustainable development goals.
Addressing the concerns raised by some Kenyans regarding the privacy of the system, the President assured everyone that his government was putting in place necessary legal safeguards to protect all Kenyans.
