Author Archives for Bronwen Manby

Kenya: National Registration Department to launch Digital Personal Identity in October

September 25, 2023 4:12 pm Published by Comments Off on Kenya: National Registration Department to launch Digital Personal Identity in October

Beginning from October 2, 2023 a ‘Maisha Namba’ will be issued to every new born in Kenya, marking the beginning of a revolutionary change in the registration of persons in the country. Maisha Namba, a Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) shall […]


Namibia to regularise statelessness: Kawana

September 24, 2023 6:01 pm Published by Comments Off on Namibia to regularise statelessness: Kawana

WINDHOEK, 24 SEP (NAMPA) – Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security Minister Albert Kawana has said that his ministry is drafting a bill aimed at preventing statelessness and regularising the status of specified categories of stateless and undocumented persons. Speaking […]


South Africa: Children’s Institute in Court tomorrow as amicus curiae in case against Department of Home Affairs, to highlight the severe harms to children when parents’ IDs are wrongly blocked

September 19, 2023 6:03 am Published by Comments Off on South Africa: Children’s Institute in Court tomorrow as amicus curiae in case against Department of Home Affairs, to highlight the severe harms to children when parents’ IDs are wrongly blocked

Press statement: The Children’s Institute (CI) at the University of Cape Town, represented by the Centre for Child Law (CCL), will on Wednesday 20 September and Thursday 21 September provide evidence as an amicus curiae (friend of the court) to […]


Somalia begins issuing new biometric digital ID developed with NADRA’s help

September 18, 2023 8:00 pm Published by Comments Off on Somalia begins issuing new biometric digital ID developed with NADRA’s help

By Masha Barak Somalia has launched its own biometric identity card system with the head of the government expressing hope it will help its citizens overcome a “myriad socioeconomic challenges” as the country struggles with terrorist groups. During the launch […]


L’idée d’octroi de la nationalité aux étrangers mariés à des Marocaines, entre hostilité et scepticisme

September 18, 2023 9:04 am Published by Comments Off on L’idée d’octroi de la nationalité aux étrangers mariés à des Marocaines, entre hostilité et scepticisme

Par Salma Hamri Le ministre de la Justice fait encore une fois les gros titres avec un avant-projet de loi qui accorde au conjoint étranger le droit d’acquérir la nationalité par le mariage avec une citoyenne marocaine. Le traitement médiatique […]


South Africa: Lawyers for Human Rights turn to court to challenge conduct of Home Affairs to block certain people’s IDs

September 18, 2023 5:50 am Published by Comments Off on South Africa: Lawyers for Human Rights turn to court to challenge conduct of Home Affairs to block certain people’s IDs

By Zelda Venter Pretoria – Lawyers for Human Rights will turn to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria later this month to challenge the conduct of Home Affairs to block certain people’s IDs, leaving them in the cold. The organisation represents […]


South Africa: Home Affairs in court for ‘blocking’ identity documents

September 18, 2023 5:46 am Published by Comments Off on South Africa: Home Affairs in court for ‘blocking’ identity documents

By Tania Broughton No ID, no life. This is the fate of many children in South Africa who are victims of their parent’s IDs being “blocked” by the Department of Home Affairs. Their births are never registered or are registered […]


Kenya: 10 Most Asked Questions on Maisha Namba

September 17, 2023 1:10 pm Published by Comments Off on Kenya: 10 Most Asked Questions on Maisha Namba

by Mark Obar President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration is currently conducting the registration of Maisha Namba, a personal unique identifier. This, according to Ruto, is meant for his government to enhance service delivery to citizens by embracing Information and […]


Kenya: Human Rights Organizations Urge Government to Expand Consultations and Safeguards before Unique Personal Identifier/Maisha Namba Rollout

September 14, 2023 6:54 pm Published by Comments Off on Kenya: Human Rights Organizations Urge Government to Expand Consultations and Safeguards before Unique Personal Identifier/Maisha Namba Rollout

Nairobi, Kenya: Today, a coalition of civil society and community-based organizations working at the national and grassroots levels have come together to express concerns with the Kenyan government’s new plan to roll out a unique personal identifier, dubbed “Maisha Namba”, […]


Kenya inches closer to digital ID as PSs endorse proposed document

September 13, 2023 5:49 pm Published by Comments Off on Kenya inches closer to digital ID as PSs endorse proposed document

By BRUHAN MAKONG NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 13 – Kenyans could soon begin using a digital ID after a critical government committee endorsed the proposed design and security features of a new card. The technical committee of Principal Secretaries with dockets […]


Kenya: New generation IDs: State to spend Sh1bn on Maisha Cards

September 12, 2023 8:30 am Published by Comments Off on Kenya: New generation IDs: State to spend Sh1bn on Maisha Cards

In Summary The previous administration launched the Huduma Namba digital program which was stopped by the courts over data protection concerns. Kenya Kwanza administration is now rolling out similar digital IDs but with additional features. by ALLAN KISIA The government […]


South Africa: Lawyers for Human Rights files court challenge against ID blocking, launches campaign: “Unblock My ID, Unlock My Life”

September 11, 2023 5:54 am Published by Comments Off on South Africa: Lawyers for Human Rights files court challenge against ID blocking, launches campaign: “Unblock My ID, Unlock My Life”

Press statement LHR represents over 100 people in a court challenge against the Department of Home Affairs’ (DHA) ID blocking practice. This case will be heard in the Pretoria High Court on 20 and 21 September 2023. In May 2012, […]