The government will replace national identification cards with Huduma cards, with IDs becoming obsolete by 12th by December 2021, according to ICT CS Joe Mucheru. The CS on Wednesday said the IDs will cease being in operation and the issuance of Huduma cards will start on December 1st, this year. The anticipated issuance comes a month after President Uhuru Kenyatta and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta received their Huduma cards during the Mashujaa day fete at Gusii stadium in Kisii.
Speaking before handing over the cards to the President and the First Lady that day, Interior CS Fred Matiang’i said the cards, which are set to simplify access to government services and centralize identification, will be issued to Kenyans once the national assembly completes the process of the appointment of a data commissioner as directed by the High Court.
The President then handed Huduma cards to 10 recipients at the function. “We are ready to start giving Kenyans their Huduma cards so that they can get access to services in a easy way,” he said, “The queues witnessed in government offices shouldn’t be there anymore.”
The Huduma Namba mass registration exercise was rolled out last year in April, and Kenyans of at least 18 years will be required to have the Huduma Namba, while children who have attained six years will receive a minor’s Huduma Namba.