The government has announced that citizens will need to renew their new national identification card, known as the Maisha Card, every 10 years.
Julius Bitok, Principal Secretary of Immigration and Citizenship Services, clarified on Monday that this renewal is necessary due to the 10-year shelf life of the microchip embedded in the cards, similar to ATM cards.
Addressing concerns about the timing of the card’s expiration and its implications for elections, Bitok assured the public that the expiry date is unrelated to the electoral calendar.
He pointed out that other countries such as Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Senegal, and France have adopted similar ID systems with microchips.
Civil society organizations had questioned the rationale behind the expiry date, expressing worries about its potential impact on voting integrity, particularly in the 2027 General Election.
Bitok emphasized that renewing an expired Maisha Card will not require fresh biometric registration but will involve updating passport-sized photos.
Furthermore, the National Registration Bureau (NRB) has ramped up its printing capacity to meet the increased demand, now capable of producing 30,000 cards daily compared to an average demand of 10,000 applications.
Bitok underscored that the introduction of the Maisha Card in November 2023 followed extensive consultations with various stakeholders, including civil society groups, religious leaders, the private sector, media, and the general public.
Since its launch, the NRB has issued a total of 972,630 Maisha Cards, comprising new applications and duplicates.
Bitok assured that the Maisha Card adheres to regional and international standards for secure personal registration documents, enhancing security features and consolidating multiple databases into a unified national register.
In conclusion, Bitok reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that eligible Kenyans obtain the Maisha Card promptly, emphasizing its role as a vital identification document and constitutional right.
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