Kenya is set to introduce a new digital identification system called the Maisha Number in December. The project funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will be rolled out as the world's first digital ID pilot project.
According to President William Ruto, the system will allow people to carry out transactions using fingerprints and iris recognition.
The new system will replace the current national identification cards by gradually incorporating all personal identification data including birth certificates, death certificates, Maisha cards, and driver's licenses among others.
The Maisha Number will feature a Machine-Readable Zone that conforms to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
This will help to improve data accuracy and reliability and consolidate all independent databases into a single integrated register, serving as the central reference for all data related to Kenyan citizens and foreign residents in the country.
Moreover, newborns 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.
The new digital identification system will be a significant upgrade from its predecessor, the Huduma Card, which was introduced 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.
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