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By Victor MUJIDU
With the urge to cope with the technological advancements in the world, the Kenyan government has put a lot of effort into rolling out digital identity cards as second-generation identities are phased out of the system.
Dubbed “Maisha Namba,” the digital identity cards will be a unique personal identification number assigned to every Kenyan citizen upon registration, typically at birth. This number will be a lifelong personal identity number from birth to death.
In December last year, the complex framework raised serious concerns with the legislature, calling for extensive analysis of the overarching issue of surveillance, which was spurred by this unique digital identity paradigm.
Quite a number of political leaders opposed on various grounds, including privacy and unmitigated citizen data aggregation. However, regardless of the push and pull from state officials and policymakers, the government complied with the framework, stating that the new identity system was a priority.
The envisioned Maisha card is meant to have a variety of features and details. With a Maisha card, one will be able to access all government services at any time without delay.
Apart from accessing services like birth certificates and other certificates, the Maisha card will contain service delivery in different public offices, including the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), and services related to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA). On top of it all, the digital identity will offer banking services beside being used for national examinations.
According to the government, this is a simplified task that would have cost people who normally walk around with several documents in one envelope as they look for services from one office to another.
Going by the phrase “When the deal is too good, think twice,” it means that as much as everything seems to be okay and interesting, data privacy should be considered because digital identities incorporate digitized biometric data, which is sensitive to cybercrime.
As the transition has become commonplace in recent years, East African countries, including Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Ethiopia, have made progress, but the question commonly asked by digital experts is: are the African countries qualified for the new identity system or do they rush to adopt it?
The perturbations from the experts can be easily responded to by the Kenyan puzzle on making a second attempt at implementing digital IDs.
Recalling the previous regime under former President Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya spent Ksh10 billion for Huduma Namba but eventually discontinued it after the ID system failed to appeal to locals. This is a clear indicator that, as a country, a lot must be done to ensure full adoption of the digital framework.
It should be recognized that the digital system is unclear to many citizens of these countries pushing for digital IDs, and it is quite significant if there will be enough sensitization on what digital IDs mean for the people and the government regarding know-your-customer (KYC), financial inclusion, and tax compliance.
Data Manipulation
Rolling out the digital identity cards is obviously necessary for countries that seek to grow technologically, but designing the IDs is so sensitive. It is a gradual mechanism that is methodically carried out.
An identity management system with inadequate design could compromise privacy. The potential for centralized tracking is a major risk with digital identity systems.
There is no automated record of the inspection that is created, kept, or shared with the related agency when a government agent looks through your traditional, non-digital ID. Digital IDs allow for this kind of tracking, though.
According to experts, modern computer security issues are more difficult to resolve and that it is frequently easier to attack digital systems than to defend them, as demonstrated by the government agencies and well-known tech corporations that have been hacked.
This is just a concern that all the repercussions of data phishing and cyberattacks, among others, should be considered. Given that African governments have not yet established a strong and resilient digital infrastructure, it would be worse if such attacks went after digital ID systems.
Digital IDs is a collective service
It is quite clear that almost the whole of the sub-Saharan region is struggling to attract digital technology since millions of people, especially those living in rural areas, lack smartphones.
This portrays that if the governments keep on pressing toward digital identity, then probably those without smartphones, which are primarily required to access services, will be left behind.
A digital identity system could prove just and worthwhile if it is done just right. But such an outcome is far from guaranteed, and much work will have to be done to implement a digital identity system that improves individuals’ privacy rather than eroding it and is built not to enclose individuals but to empower them.
As the government makes it a central agenda, a lot of effort should be put into protecting privacy, data protection, and individual autonomy. It is up to governments, regulators, and technology developers to strike a fine balance, ensuring that innovation and convenience do not weaken the core ideals of human rights and civil freedoms.