The Minister of ICT, Eliud Owalo, has stated that every Kenyan will have a digital ID by March 2024. The digital ID is intended to serve as an upgrade to the current national identity card and aims to make access to government services easier for citizens. It is being developed based on benchmarking exercises with countries like Estonia and Pakistan.
The Minister clarified that the digital ID is not a reinvention of the Huduma Namba, which is another government identification system that was previously introduced. Instead, the new digital ID is meant to facilitate the consumption of government services efficiently and securely.
Importantly, Eliud Owalo assured the public that obtaining the new digital ID will not be mandatory. Kenyans will have the choice to decide whether they want to access government services physically or digitally using the new ID.
The Minister also addressed concerns about data security in light of a recent attack on the eCitizen platform. He asserted that the incident was an attempted attack and not a successful hacking, thanks to an elaborate risk mitigation mechanism. He reassured Kenyans that their data is secure, and the attack did not result in any infringement of personal data.
It’s important to note that this information is accurate up to September 2021, and developments may have occurred beyond this date. For the latest and most accurate updates, it’s recommended to refer to more recent sources or official government announcements.
By Abigael Chemok