Welcome to Huduma Namba
Since 2005 the Government of Kenya (GoK) has initiated registration of persons in the country using a harmonized approach to address duplication of efforts and to cut costs in registration processes. This started with consolidation of data from primary population registration agencies.
The Government initiated the National Integrated Identity Management System (NIIMS) program through Executive Order No. 1 (2018).
The purpose of this initiative is to create and manage a central master population database which will be the ‘single source of truth’ on a person’s identity. The database will contain information of all Kenyan citizens and foreign nationals residing in Kenya and will serve as a reference point for ease of service delivery to the people of Kenya. (Huduma Namba kwa Huduma Bora).
Benefits to Kenyans
1). Food Security
The Government targets to achieve 100% national food and nutrition security which is the mandate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Irrigation. In execution of this mandate, the Ministry needs a national database of all farming households and subsequently all farmers in the country.
2). Health Care
Huduma Namba data will assist in planning for achievement of universal healthcare through provision of background information needed for registration for provision of universal healthcare services under the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).
3). Affordable Housing
Huduma Namba will capture biometric data on number of households and number of family members. This will from the background information for assessment of status of housing in the country. The information will be an authentic source of civil data which is important for planning purposes in the delivery of the Affordable Housing targets.
4). Manufacturing
Huduma Namba will generate biodata on persons’ employment status and main occupation. Persons engaged in production of raw materials are critical in providing the same for development of cottage industries which create employment. To attract investors in the Manufacturing sector and spur growth in the labour market, updated data on persons is needed for planning purposes.
5). Huduma Namba and Our National Security Strategy
In this era of technology and globalization, security is increasingly becoming one the most pertinent issues that governments across the globe are grappling with. As criminals continue to evolve their tactics, the global security landscape is concurrently changing and we are now facing new and complex threats to our national security. Bio-terrorism, narco-terrorism, cyber-terrorism, and agro-terrorism are among some of the emerging security challenges that necessitate a radical and progressive reorientation of counter-strategies.
Many countries that have established digital population registers similar to our National Integrated Identity Management System (NIIMS) are already reaping benefits, which extend to management of security matters. As it stands, Kenya is playing catch-up in this sphere, but the new system is a giant step that will herald a remarkable breakthrough in surveillance and response strategies for our security organs.
To begin with, the aspect of resource allocation touches on investment in security and deployment of personnel on an as-needed basis. In a nutshell, a reliable population database will be used to determine the number of law enforcement officers required as the government endeavors to realize the recommended police-to-citizen ratio as well as police officer per capita rates for different areas.
Once the database is in place, it will be easy to identify individuals that would potentially pose serious threats to public safety and our national security. Since an individual’s personal details will be consolidated into Huduma Namba, police officers can be able to identify criminal elements and track the “footsteps” of their operations with appreciable accuracy.
The fact the system will be interlinked with other databases, including the digital registry of licensed firearm holders and NTSA, information-sharing among security agencies will be smooth and highly reliable. As such, law breakers rogue motorists and licensed gun owners engaging in criminal activities can be picked out for prosecution at the touch of a button. It is worth noting that the government has rededicated its energies to tracking down and disrupting terrorist financing, and this system will ultimately complement and reinforce the multi-agency approaches to managing security in the country.
Furthermore, the system will not only provide early warning of enemy presence in Kenya but also position the country as an indispensable partner in the provision of global threat intelligence towards the fight against transnational organized crime. The Unique Identification Number will be one of the smartest surveillance assets at major airports, entry points, and traffic checkpoints among other strategic security controls. Therefore, the police can identify possible exploits and threats for easy prioritization and subsequently enhance effective response and critical operations based on the level of the threats.
Bearing in mind that the database will contain personal details of all Kenyan citizens and foreigners living in the country, law enforcement agencies will be able to winnow out potential criminal illegal immigrants, some of whom have prior criminal convictions. As a matter of fact, these criminals and fugitives from justice are as dangerous to Kenya just as they are to their respective countries of origin.
Please keep in mind that submission of oneself for the biometric registration exercise set to begin on April 2, 2019 is not only a legal obligation but also a civic virtue. As the government progressively builds the country’s institutional capacity to fight terror and organized crime, any Kenyan citizen who has nothing to hide or a foreign national engaging in legitimate activities in the country should have their personal details captured in the new system.
(Courtesy of HudumaNamba.co.ke)
