Kenyans who will get miasha number will be required to renew the card after every 10 years.
The unique personal identification number assigned to every Kenyan citizen upon registration, typically at birth and will be a lifelong personal identity number from birth to death and will be renewed every decade.
The revelation that the Kenya Kwanza’s digital ID will come at a cost after every decade is contained in a document supplied by the Ministry of Interior and National Administration.
The physical look of the card by The Informer Media Group appears to be an exact replica of Huduma Namba.
Huduma namba had a chip just as one in Maisha Namba.
Other than the digital security features, which are in both cards, all others remain as those in the old generation cards.
This comes as court in Nairobi froze a gazette notice introducing new charges for all identification documents issued by the government.
Justice Lawrence Mugambi issued the orders until November 29 this year when the case filed by a Nakuru-based surgeon Dr. Gikenyi Magayi will be mentioned.
Magayi in his case argued that the new fees on National identification cards, passports, births, marriage, and death certificates are unreasonable.
He added that the Interior Ministry could not explain the rationale for increasing the fees by more than 1000 per cent as it did not conduct public participation.
According to him, the hustler government is alienating citizenship, the right to marry, and getting a death certificate for the rich people.
He asserted that the majority of Kenyans who are poor and need crucial government documents will miss out on jobs as they cannot afford the Sh1000 charged on IDs.
“The said amounts were increased arbitrarily without any formula or public participation whatsoever. In considering NPR would affect young Kenyans joining the age of majority, this increase is likely to affect young Kenyans and hence make it difficult for them to get Identity cards, the effect which will lead to inability to get job opportunities.” Magayi argued.
He continued: “It is important to maintain constitutionalism, rule of law, law and order, good governance, non-discrimination and protecting of the constitution.”
This comes as it now emerges that Kenyans who will get miasha number will be required to renew the card after every 10 years.
The revelation that the Kenya Kwanza’s digital ID will come at a cost after every decade is contained in a document supplied by the same ministry.
The physical look of the card appears to be an exact replica of Huduma Namba. Huduma namba had a chip just as one in Maisha Namba.
Other than the digital security features, which are in both cards, all others remain as those in the old generation cards.
Meanwhile, the government increased the cost of getting new IDs from Sh100 to Sh1000.
Those who lose or want to replace a defaced ID will part with Sh2,000 to replace them should they lose it.
In a gazette notice dated November 7, 2023, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki stated:
“It is notified that pursuant to Regulation 60 of the Public Finance Management (National Government) Regulations, 2015, the Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury and Economic Planning has granted the Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary the authority for the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services to revise charges and levies on its services.”
Kenyan citizens were previously charged Sh100 only to apply for a duplicate ID, and no charges for registration of a new ID.
According to the gazette, Kenyans will pay Sh1,000 to change particulars or details their identification card, and Sh1,000 to make an identification report, up from Sh100.
Most affected will be girls who will be married and needing to change their IDs to reflect their husbands’ names.
The Ministry also revised passport and immigration fees upwards.
It reviewed the cost of an ordinary passport to Sh7,500 (34 pages), up from Sh4,500, and Sh9,500 to apply for a 50-page document from the previous Sh6,000.
In the new charges, a cost it will cost Sh12,000 for a 66-page passport, up from Sh7,500.
Replacing a lost passport almost doubled with Sh20,000, from previous Sh12,000.
Replacing a valid mutilated passport will also cost you Sh20,000, up from Sh10,000.
Those wishing to apply for a 50-page diplomatic passport will part with Sh15,000, double the price of the previous fee.