The government has said that all the newborn babies in Kenya will soon be given unique identification numbers at birth that will be used later on in their lives throughout schooling and eventually become their national identification number.
Cabinet Secretary for Interior Kithure Kindiki made the announcement today while signaling that the Interior Ministry will be digitising birth and death records starting March 1, 2023.
He said as the country is advancing in technology all newborns will soon be assigned a Unique Personal Identifier at birth.
This number will be retained throughout. As the child becomes of age the number will be used as the individual’s national ID, social security number, health insurance number and eventually the death certificate number.
The unique personal identifier will be their National Education Management Information System (Nemis) number in school.
A statement from the Ministry said, the period between the time the UPI is introduced and 18 years later when it will transit into the ID, the Ministry is working on introduction of the Third-Generation, smart and digital ID.
