Kenya’s proposed Maisha number digital identity system could put citizens’ privacy at risk and leave vulnerable groups behind, an international digital rights campaigner has warned. Speaking on Radio Generation on Wednesday, Jaimee Kokonya of Access Now said the rollout is moving forward without enough public input or safeguards, raising serious concerns about surveillance, human rights, and data protection.
“The rollout lacks public participation and safeguards,” Kokonya said, highlighting that centralised data systems combined with facial recognition and weak oversight could threaten citizens’ privacy.
Access Now, founded in 2009, works globally to protect digital rights, focusing on issues such as privacy, online freedom, and security. The organisation campaigns against mass surveillance, internet shutdowns, and abuses linked to digital technology.
Kokonya explained that in Kenya, digital identity is being introduced through the Maisha number, which she described as a new form of identification. “When I say digital identity, people might not know what that means. But in Kenya, if you’ve heard of Maisha number, that’s what we call digital identity.”
She raised questions about the repeated introduction of new ID cards with each government. “We are having new ID cards with every regime in this country, isn’t it very strange,” she said, adding that it is unclear what purpose the updated cards serve, given that existing IDs already provide access to essential services. “My old ID card does the same. I can still get a passport with it. I can go to hospital with it. I can get a driving licence with it.”
Kokonya said the real concern lies in the system behind the cards. “The digital identity system would have a centralized, integrated system for the government basically to access all of our data through that card, which is one of the issues that we have with it,” she said.
She warned that making the system mandatory could leave out people who already face challenges obtaining legal documents. “For example, people that are stateless, like the Nubian community,” she said. “If access to services is tied to Maisha numbers, people won’t be able to access so many services like education, health and issues like that.”
When asked if older IDs could eventually stop working, Kokonya said, “Yes, because they’ve made it mandatory, that’s the problem.” She noted that legal challenges are ongoing, with partners already in court to contest the system.
Kokonya drew parallels with the previous Huduma Namba project, which caused long queues and confusion as people rushed to register. “People were registering for this thing way into the night, past midnight,” she recalled. She said the project was eventually halted due to the absence of a Data Protection Act, which at the time prevented the government from legally centralising sensitive data.
She accused the current administration of merely rebranding the system rather than fixing its flaws. “They just changed the name and still maintained the same system.”
While acknowledging that digital identity could have benefits, Kokonya said the government had not clearly explained them. “It just required explanation, nothing more,” she said, adding that citizens were instead told, “If you don’t do this, then you won’t be able to access ABCD.”
The campaigner also raised concerns about surveillance, particularly regarding SIM card re-registration and facial biometrics. “That was a misrepresentation of the law,” she said, noting that regulations did not require photographs, yet a facial biometrics database was created.
She warned of the risks of combining such data with surveillance infrastructure, saying, “If they want to target somebody, and they have now the database, and they have the CCTV cameras with facial recognition, then it’s very easy to track people,” referencing forced disappearances.
Responding to arguments that surveillance aids security, Kokonya said, “When the government has a track record of human rights abuses, especially when they are so severe, it’s difficult for us to extend that good faith.” She also criticised regulators for weak oversight, noting, “We’ve never had a data protection impact assessment” for facial recognition systems.
Concluding, she questioned the government’s record on data use. “What we ask ourselves is, what has the track record actually been previously when they have access to people’s data and information?” she said. Kokonya warned that without trust, transparency, and lawful safeguards, digital identity systems risk becoming tools of control rather than services for citizens.
