First published 12 November 2023
African governments are pushing for digital IDs without informing people of their privacy implications.
Many African countries plan to gradually phase out traditional IDs with digital alternatives. This transition has become commonplace in recent years as governments throughout the continent slowly call for digital identification. Key progress can be seen in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Rwanda.
For instance, Kenya is making a second attempt at implementing digital IDs. The KES 10 billion ($66 million according to the current exchange rate) exercise, known as Huduma Namba, was discontinued after the ID system failed to appeal to locals. The second attempt is scheduled to start in a few weeks. While the Kenyan government claims that the digital ID won’t be mandatory, past experiences, especially those related to Huduma Namba, suggest otherwise. However, considering the adoption’s privacy implications, it is important to look into the reasons behind the rush to adopt digital IDs in Africa. It is also unclear to citizens…
Kenn Abuya
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https://techcabal.com/2023/11/13/africa-needs-to-pause-its-rush-to-adopt-digital-ids/
