The Kenyan government has started test trials of the digital identification system, which will last several months. The solution is scheduled to be fully launched in December this year. Digital IDs will simplify citizens’ access to government, educational, and medical resources.
The President of Kenya William Ruto spoke about the start of test trials of the digital identification system, which will last for the next two months. This is reported by the local media.
According to Ruto, digital IDs will be introduced in the country by the end of this year and will work in parallel with Maisha Namba, a system of lifelong personal identification numbers assigned to Kenyan citizens upon registration. The President said that the shared identification system will allow for the full digitalization of registries and thus provide citizens with faster access to government, educational, and medical resources.
The system will rely on data from the Integrated National Master Population Register, which was created with the support of the Blockchain Association of Kenya under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). However, the Kenyan authorities haven’t specified whether the system will be blockchain-based.
Julius Bitok, Kenya’s Principal Secretary of Immigration and Citizen Services, revealed that the digital identification system is designed not only to simplify access to government services but also to provide Kenyans with a secure way to open bank accounts. Bitok called on the private sector to join the initiative and use digital identification systems to reduce fraud and corruption in the country. The official pledged to help improve e-commerce processes and simplify business transactions in every way possible at the government level.
Digital IDs for registering citizens are being considered by the authorities of many countries. They’ve already been introduced in South Korea, Brazil, and Argentina.
