The Kenyan Identity Cards (ID) will cease being in operation starting 2021, ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru has said.
Mr Mucheru who spoke on Wednesday in Machakos County where he was among a team issuing the first few Huduma Namba cards said that this will be the new shift.
On December 12, 2021, the ID cards will be phased out and Kenyans will use their Huduma Namba cards to get essential services.
President Uhuru Kenyatta became the first Kenyan to her a Huduma Namba card during the Mashujaa Day fete in Kisii. It was presented by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.
Uhuru thereafter, said that Kenyans would start getting these cards starting December 1, 2020.
Mr Mucheru said that no one will access services without a Huduma Namba card.
Kenyans will receive a text message directing them where to pick the Huduma Namba card from which a one month collection period will be given.
Mr Matiang’i led a similar exercise in Kiambu County where he noted that the second phase of Huduma Namba registration will commence beginning April next year.
So far, 37.7 million Kenyans registered for the cards.
Already, the Data Commissioner Ms Immaculate Kassait is now in office and is the head of the National Integrated Identity Management System (Huduma Namba).
The Huduma Namba is expected to better service delivery whilst also taming corruption in different government offices where a bribe was solicited to get basic services.
During its launch, the government said that it will inform better national planning because it has all the data of an individual in one portal.
Huduma Namba will play an important role for the Immigration Department since all information for an individual is in one platform.
The card captures data National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) as well as the National ID number.
