Not all African countries require their citizens to carry a national identity card, but the number is rapidly increasing. ECOWAS Member States have committed to introduce a common-form biometric identity card by 2017. The introduction of these new systems may be based on concerns for national security or to improve delivery of public services: but for these aims to be achieved, law and procedures must ensure that people are not arbitrarily excluded from acquiring these documents.
Every citizen should have the right to a passport, enabling international travel, which should not be removed except following due process of law (for example, from a person accused of a serious crime).
Only some African countries establish an independent judicial procedure for a person to obtain a “certificate of nationality” or alternative document that is conclusive proof that a person is a national.
By Ayang Macdonald Fresh concerns have been raised about issues of data privacy, security and exclusion in relation to Kenya’s Maisha Namba digital ID project. The arguments were put forth recently during a court hearing in a matter brought against […]
By Kamau Muthoni Two experts have poured cold water on the Kenya Kwanza digital identification card project. Prof Laura Bingham, an international law expert, and Dr Thomas Fisher, a senior researcher at Privacy International in the UK, yesterday raised questions […]
(21970/2021) [2025] ZAGPPHC 202 (12 March 2025) FLYNOTES: CONSTITUTION – Citizenship – Child born in country – Born after change in law – Application to recognize child as a South African citizen refused – Has no citizenship or nationality – […]
By Lucy Mumbi Family tree verification, electronic biometric capture and school-based registration are among the three new measures that will be used during the vetting of national identification card applicants in North Eastern to enhance transparency, efficiency, and national security. […]
It will now be easier for the residents of Northern Kenya to acquire national identification documents after President William Ruto signed a decree ending years of State discrimination in the issuance of the vital documents. Signing the Presidential Proclamation on […]
By Emmanuel Too It will now be easy for residents of border counties to acquire national Identity (ID) cards after President William Ruto signed a proclamation on Wednesday scrapping a 60-year old vetting requirement. The decision, seen as a major […]
By Nizbert Moyo A 59-YEAR-OLD Bulawayo man is appealing for assistance to enable him to obtain a birth certificate and identity document (ID). Many people in the Matabeleland region have approached government seeking assistance to obtain the necessary documents so […]
By Niël Terblanche The Namibian government has taken steps to address issues of statelessness and improve civil registration processes through two new pieces of legislation. These include the Civil Registration and Identification Act, 2024, and the Regularisation of Status of […]
Double registration occurs when citizens living near refugee camps are erroneously registered as aliens. by STEPHEN ASTARIKO In Summary Hundreds of Kenyans bear the brunt of barriers to accessing ID cards that should have been removed long ago, she said. […]
Judgment in favour of Kenyan citizens denied recognition of citizenship on the grounds that they had been (incorrectly) registered as refugees. Download: Kenya High Court Double-registration Judgement Jan2025
Today brought a life-changing moment for communities in Northern Kenya: a pivotal court judgement declaring that the denial of nationality documents to double registered people was both unconstitutional and infringed on their rights. Three years ago, Haki Na Sheria, an […]
By Ayang Macdonald Somalia is certainly on the right path in the pursuit of its digital transformation ambitions, thanks in large part to foundational identity infrastructure built with support from Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). After the putting […]