NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 20 – Kenyans will start getting their Huduma Card Nambas once the mass production of the cards is completed.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi said those who registered will soon receive an SMS notification alerting them when and where to collect their cards.
The cards will replace the National Identity cards, which will cease to be operational at the end of this year. Officials said 31 million Kenyans were registered.
“Mass printing of Huduma Namba cards is underway. If you registered, you will soon receive an SMS notification prompting you when and where to collect yours,” the ministry tweeted.
Registered people will receive their Huduma Namba cards in phases.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and first lady Margaret Kenyatta were the first Kenyans to receive their cards in October 20 last year, during the Mashujaa Day celebrations in Kisii County.
The government said the initiative is aimed at creating and managing a central master population database which will be the ‘single source of truth’ on a person’s identity.
The database will contain information of all Kenyan citizens and foreign nationals residing in Kenya and will serve as a reference point for ease of service delivery.
The card will have all the data merged and installed in an electronic chip, capturing details in the National Identity card, National Hospital Insurance Fund, National Social Security Fund among others.
The data is set to be managed by the first Kenya’s Data Commissioner Immaculate Kassait.
Her immediate task will be to implement the provisions of the recently enacted Data Protection Act.
Given that she is the first to hold that office, her ‘to-do’ list will be unenviably lengthy.
Crucially, she must oversee the establishment of the Office of the Data Commissioner, including the appointment of its various officers.