The government now says it will not compel Kenyans to register for the proposed digital identity system
Speaking during the release of a one-year status report, the ICT and Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo stated that unlike the inoperative Huduma Number, registration will be optional once the government rolls out the process.
"We will not force any Kenyan to take a digital identity. The owners will be on you to decide whether or not you want to consume government services through your digital identity based on your bio data or you want to physically visit government offices. If the services are available technologically, you have got the commencement level of digital skilling," Owalo said.
He noted they have already done bench-marking in Estonia, Belgium, Pakistan and India where the system has been 'successfully' implemented.
"We need to discuss if all services are available on e-citizen platform on one hand and on the other hand we have got a commensurate level of digit skills to facilitate optimal uptake of ICT infrastructure. Then why do we have to tell Kenyans that they still have to continue physically visit government offices," Owalo stated further.
The government's plans of rolling out a digital Identification system that will link up all of the country's databases and enable safe and seamless access to a wide range of government and event private sector services.
The new system will also give room for new possibilities of online identification authentication, including web-based authentication, which would mean lesser need for physical verification and more control over the sharing of personal data.
This comes after he assured that no government data was lost in the attempted hacking of the e-Citizen portal two days ago.
He emphasized that there are sufficient safeguard measures for the safety of the portal used by the government for the public to access various services and payments.
He announced that the government has put in place mitigation measures aimed at derailing any future attempts to attack the platform as the country continues to pursue its digitalization agenda.
