The Kenyan government is considering the implementation of a virtual identification system for its citizens, a move announced by the Information and Communication Technology Cabinet Secretary, Eliud Owalo. The initiative is part of a broader digital transformation strategy aimed at modernizing identification processes, moving away from traditional physical ID cards to a more efficient, secure, and less cumbersome virtual system.
In a keynote address before the Senate Committee on ICT, Owalo highlighted the failure of the previous Huduma number initiative, attributing its lack of success to poor timing and insufficient public awareness. He stressed the importance of proper sensitization for the new virtual ID system to ensure its acceptance among Kenyans.
The Huduma number initiative was a previous government effort to create a unique personal identification number for citizens, which faced criticism and challenges, particularly due to its timing close to an election and insufficient public awareness and acceptance.
“Huduma number failed because it was introduced at the wrong time and it was very suspicious,” Owalo said. “It was near an election and that’s why it wasn’t attractive. Kenyans need to know how the change is going to affect them.”
Owalo went on to explain that raising awareness of the new virtual ID and explaining its rationale to Kenyans “will be the success factor that will give us acceptability.”
While the Cabinet Secretary made no mention of NGO support for such a virtual ID effort, the World Bank has been advocating for such digital transformation projects across Africa and developing nations elsewhere, particularly through its ID4D program. In an ID4D assessment of Kenya’s identity infrastructure published in 2016, the World Bank recommended that Kenya should “consider a number of alternative options for its ‘Third Generation’ e-ID system,” and referenced India’s emerging Aadhaar program in explaining how biometrics could be leveraged to identify Kenyans using digital technologies.
Beyond discussing the virtual ID effort, in his address Owalo also emphasized the need for proactive Artificial Intelligence (AI) regulation in Kenya, pointing out the ongoing efforts to draft an AI Bill to address regulatory gaps and ensure ethical AI deployment. The discussion also covered the development of digital skills, innovative funding models for digital initiatives, and the importance of collaborative efforts between government and private sector to promote digital inclusion and sustainability of digital projects.
Source: NTV
