Ngwenya, N. (2021). Digital Identity in Zimbabwe: Case study conducted as part of a ten-country exploration of socio-digital ID systems in parts of Africa<\/i> (Towards the Evaluation of Digital ID Ecosystems in Africa: Findings from Ten Countries) [Case study]. Research ICT Africa (RIA).<\/p>\n
Abstract<\/strong><\/p>\n Countries are moving to adopt digital ID systems to help address the <\/span>exclusion of their citizens under the traditional analogue registration <\/span>frameworks as well as ensure access to basic services, including <\/span>healthcare, education, social welfare and voting. <\/span><\/p>\n As this has progressed, challenges around full registration of citizens have <\/span>persisted while new risks and threats to citizens\u2019 rights have emerged. This <\/span>is more prevalent in some African countries, including Zimbabwe, whose <\/span>digital ID programme is still at an introductory stage and only partially <\/span>implemented. <\/span><\/p>\n Aside from the foundational ID framework, which many Zimbabweans have <\/span>experienced, there is little information available on digital ID systems in the <\/span>country. The few times that the topic has been publicly mentioned, it has <\/span>been in the context of the government announcing sectoral and functional <\/span>systems, such as registration of civil servants or updating the voters’ <\/span>roll. Even then, there is insufficient public awareness of the systems, let <\/span>alone transparency around data collection, purpose, usage, storage and <\/span>destruction. <\/span><\/p>\n This paper derives from research and analysis of the state of digital IDs in <\/span>Zimbabwe and examines how the programme complies with principles and <\/span>standards relating to data protection and the promotion of human rights. <\/span>As there is no overarching law governing digital IDs in Zimbabwe, this case <\/span>study used the Centre for Internet and Society\u2019s Evaluation Framework to <\/span>test the extent to which the country\u2019s proposed Cyber Security and Data <\/span>Protection Law complies with human rights principles on digital IDs. If <\/span>enacted, this law will guide the storage and processing of data including <\/span>digital IDs. <\/span><\/p>\n The research shows that the country\u2019s legislative framework is weak and <\/span>largely fails the three-tier checks, namely rule of law tests, rights-based <\/span>tests and risk-based tests. The paper then makes recommendations on <\/span>how the situation could be improved, starting with ensuring mass and <\/span>inclusive registration of all Zimbabweans, and progressing to enactment <\/span>of an overarching law anchored on human rights principles to guide the <\/span>governance of digital IDs.<\/span><\/p>\n