Kenya Pursues Upgraded Biometric Identification System for Enhanced Security Measures

24 May 2023
Capital FM (Nairobi)
By Bruhan Makong

Nairobi — Kenya is embarking on an ambitious plan to enhance its current Automated Fingerprint Identification System by upgrading it into an advanced Automated Biometric Identification System

Interior Cabinet secretary Kithure Kindiki said Wednesday during the 7th ID4Africa Augmented General Meeting in Nairobi that the upgraded system would extend beyond fingerprints, incorporating iris and facial recognition technologies.

Kindiki further indicated that the government is progressing towards an electronic identification system, featuring a machine-readable chip and QR code.

"Eventually this should lead us to a digital ID system which will allow web-based ID authentication," he said.

The Interior CS said that in the long run, the web-based ID authentication will transit into a Unique Personal Identifier which will be given to all newborns in the country and it becomes their ID when they attain 18 years.

On Tuesday, Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Julius Bitok revealed that the government aims to roll out the Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) on September 16, providing newborns in Kenya with a unique lifetime registration number.

The date coincides with the global date set aside to mark milestones in digital identity.

"As we reflect on UPI, we are very keen to identity September 16th as the day the government will be able to roll out some of the activities to support the UPI which will be the foundation for our smart identity," Bitok said.

The date coincides with the global date set aside to mark milestones in digital identity.

"As we reflect on UPI, we are very keen to identity September 16th as the day the government will be able to roll out some of the activities to support the UPI which will be the foundation for our smart identity," Bitok said.

He pointed out that the envisaged smart registration was intricately tied to the digitization of government services

Additionally, Bitok expressed the government's intention to expand the E-Citizen platform, with the objective of making more than the initially targeted 5,000 digitalized services easily accessible.

Read the original article on Capital FM.

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