Kahuthu added that once the accredited certification authorities have been given a green light, a user will apply for the certificate to the Accredited Certification Authorities website/FILE
Speaking at the project’s presentation on Tuesday at Safari Park hotel, Kenya ICT Board Project Manager Evans Kahuthu said that the digital certificates will be issued by Accredited Certification Authorities, through the Communication Commission of Kenya (CCK).
“The Kenya Information and Communication Act has specified how to issue certificates, CCK will issue the authority through a requirement process to online business users who apply so that they have the power to issue the certificates,” he explained.
Kahuthu added that once the accredited certification authorities have been given a green light, a user will apply for the certificate to the Accredited Certification Authorities website.
“Before we can give out the digital certificates, the user has to meet face to face authentication with the Accredited Authorities to verify their identity and their information,” he added.
Kahuthu said that the digital certificate has one to two years validity and one has to have a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) enabled application to use it.
“The certificate can be downloaded on a computer hard disc or a USB token and a secret password will be given, however be careful to give out your certificate less someone else uses it,” he cautioned.
The digital certificates will be used as online identity cards and will be used in all online business transactions.
He also added that all issued digital certificates will be published in a public website for confirmation on whom they correspond to and their validity for users’ verification.
The project was contracted to Samsung SDS a Korean company – leading in creating innovative changes and will be finished in three months time.
Kahuthu also said that the pilot of the project will be done this October by the Kenya revenue authority and there after open to other online business users.
