Editor's Review

President William Ruto was set to preside over the official launch on Monday, October 2, 2023, at the Nakuru Athletic Club. 

The government has postponed the official launch of the Maisha Namba and Digital Identity card which was set for Monday, October 2, 2023.

State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Julius Bitok in a statement on Friday, September 29 said the postponement was due to unavoidable circumstances.

The official launch was to take place at the Nakuru Athletic Club and presided over by President William Ruto.

“We wish to inform the public and all the stakeholders that, due to unavoidable circumstances, the official launch of the Maisha Namba and the digital ID ecosystem that was to be presided over by His Excellency, the President William Ruto, CGH, on October 2, 2023, at the Athletics Club, Nakuru County has been postponed,” read the statement in part.

File image of Immigration PS Julius Bitok. 

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PS Bitok noted that the government will communicate a new date for the launch in due course.

He added that public participation and stakeholders’ engagement forums on Maisha Namba and the new digital IDs will continue taking place nationwide.

“Meanwhile, public participation and stakeholders' engagement forums on Maisha Namba and the digital ID ecosystem that are ongoing across the country will continue,” Bitok stated.

The Immigration and Citizen Services PS while addressing the media on September 12 noted that the new IDs will be different from the Huduma Namba that was launched during the previous administration.

He also disclosed that the Kenya Kwanza government will spend Sh 1 billion to roll out the new generation IDs.