Advocates pick privacy, inclusion holds in Kenya’s Maisha Namba digital ID system
Published: 17/Mar/2025
Source: Biometric Update
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 the Kenyan government by some digital rights advocacy organizations, The Standard reports.
Haki na Sheria and the Katiba Institute filed separate cases against the Kenyan government in 2023 over the new digital ID system, citing major constitutional and human rights infringements.
Speaking in a testimony during a High Court session as expert witnesses, international lawyer, Prof Laura Bingham, and senior researcher at Privacy International, Dr Thomas Fisher, argued that the ID system presents several shortcomings in the areas of privacy, data security, and inclusion.
Bingham, for example, said unlike the government’s claims, the ID system has a centralized data repository which could potentially be used as a surveillance tool to crack down on dissenting voices.
Read further: https://www.biometricupdate.com/202503/advocates-pick-privacy-inclusion-holds-in-kenyas-maisha-namba-digital-id-system