Kenyan citizens will soon be able to authenticate their identities through iris and fingerprint scans when conducting transactions under a new digital ID system. President William Ruto announced on Monday that the government is currently piloting this digital identification system, with plans to make it available to the general public by December.

“The digital ID, which has been a major problem for us for a very long time, is now in testing mode for the next two months. I have been assured by all the stakeholders and the ministries concerned that by December 2023, we will be able to launch digital IDs,” Ruto stated during the launch of the East Africa Device Assembly Kenya plant in Athi River, Machakos County.

This move comes on the heels of a recent parliamentary committee recommendation to expel the WorldCoin cryptocurrency identity project from Kenya, citing it as an act of espionage and a threat to statehood. WorldCoin faced backlash for registering Kenyan citizens by scanning their irises to collect identity information.

The activities of WorldCoin stirred controversy in Kenya, with government agencies and civilians asserting that the company had no right to acquire Kenyans’ data. Concerns were also raised about the safety of the collected data. It remains to be seen what data protection measures the Kenyan government has put in place for the upcoming voluntary digital identity scheme.

This digital ID system is being introduced alongside Maisha Namba, a replacement for the previous Huduma Namba program based on blockchain. Huduma Namba was suspended in 2021 due to concerns about data protection guarantees. Maisha Namba will serve as a unique personal identification number assigned to Kenyan citizens upon registration, typically at birth, and will serve as their lifelong personal identity reference from birth to death.

Moreover, Maisha Namba will function as a Personal Identification Number (PIN) for accessing various government services, including Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), National Social Security Fund (NSSF), National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), and National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) throughout a citizen’s lifetime.

The digital ID will be a digital representation of an individual, organization, or device, encompassing personal attributes, credentials, and authentication information. The Maisha card will essentially be a third-generation ID, replacing the current second-generation ID. It will include enhanced security features, such as a microprocessor electronic chip with encrypted data, making forgery and manipulation nearly impossible.

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