PS Bitok allays fears over Maisha cards

National Registration Bureau workers sort out second-generation and third-generation Maisha identity cards at Huduma center of Kakamega on December 21, 2023. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

The State Department for Immigration and Citizen Service has refuted claims that the new national identity card known as Maisha card has been designed to manipulate the outcome of the 2027 General Election.

In a statement on Monday, Immigration Principal Secretary Julius Bitok allayed fears of a sinister motive by the government to introduce Maisha cards.

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on Sunday claimed that the Maisha card is a plot by the Kenya Kwanza administration to tamper with elections to favour President William Ruto who is expected to seek re-election in 2027.

"What has been baptized as Maisha number has an expiry date. IDs are critical in matters to do with voting, we want an explanation. It raises a lot of suspicion and one can see it is a scheme to rig elections in 2027," said the lobby groups during a press briefing.

However, Dr Bitok dismissed the claims saying that the Maisha cards have a service life of ten years after which the user would renew.

"Holders will need to renew their national ID cards every ten years. Applicants seeking renewal of expired national ID cards will not be required to undertake fresh biometrics. However, they will retake their passport-sized photos due to potential changes in facial features over the years," said the PS.

He at the same time announced that the National Registration Bureau (NRB) has so far issued 972,630 Maisha cards since the process was introduced in 2023, with 531,329 belonging to new applicants and 441,301 as duplicates.

Bitok defended the features of the Maisha card saying, "The system enhances security features in the national ID card, making it difficult to forge and tamper with. It introduces features that enable a digital version of the national ID card."