NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 29 — The government has postponed the planned launch of Kenya’s Digital ID platform dubbed the Maisha Number initially slated for Monday.
The postponement was announced on Friday by Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Julius Bitok who promised to give a new date in due course.
“We wish to inform the public that the and all stakeholders that due to unavoidable circumstances, the official launch of the Maisha number and the digital ID ecosystem that was to be presided over by his excellency, the President William Ruto on October 2nd has been postponed,” Bitok announced.
The State Department of Immigration and Citizen Services had the launch date on September 12 following a meeting of the Principal Secretaries’ (PSs) Sub-Committee of the National Digital Identity Technical Committee.
President William Ruto was expected to preside over the launch at the Athletics Club in Nakuru County.
Digitized ID
Speaking at a media breakfast in Nairobi on Thursday, Bitok confirmed the planned commencement of the digitized model of national identification saying the planned roll out was on course.
“The 14-digit Unique Personal Identifier called Maisha Number will be akin to the United States’ Social security number,” said Bitok.
Set to gradually replace the current national IDs, the digitized identification will virtually incorporate all personal detailed identifier data including Birth Certificate, death certificate, Maisha card as well as driver’s license among others.
The PS noted that newborn children will be assigned a distinct number that will serve as their birth certificate number and later as an identification number for all government services, including, registration of death.
Bitok emphasized that the Maisha Number will feature a Machine-Readable Zone, conforming to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
This enhancement according to PS Bitok distinguishes the Maisha Card from its predecessor, the Huduma Card, which marked an attempt to digitize identity under former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s regime.
The comprehensive rollout of the project has been estimated to take a transition period of 2 to 3 years.
