The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, affiliated with billionaire Bill Gates and his former wife Melinda, has entered into an agreement with the Kenyan government to provide advisory services for the forthcoming launch of the Digital Identification Document (ID) named Maisha Namba.
Maisha Namba is Kenya’s latest initiative in the field of digital identity, following the previously unsuccessful rollout of a similar ID program, Huduma Namba, during former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.
The Maisha Namba ID is set to be a third-generation identification document, assigning a unique number to every Kenyan citizen from birth to death. This ID will play a pivotal role in accessing various government services.
Foundation CEO Mark Suzman emphasized their advisory role, stating, “Our role is always as an adviser. We can connect the government to key technical experts and partners, but we’re very encouraged by what we see and by the President’s commitment. We have a number of specific investment support on digital identity. We actually provide it to broader platforms.”
Bill Gates has held several closed-door meetings with President William Ruto since he assumed office, with most of these interactions conducted with a degree of secrecy.
Reports indicate that this collaboration will facilitate the government’s access to technical experts and partners who can offer professional guidance to ensure the seamless launch of the Maisha Namba project.
Mark Suzman expressed his enthusiasm for President Ruto’s commitment to digitalizing critical services, emphasizing the foundation’s support for digital identity initiatives. He stated, “We have a number of specific investments supporting digital identity. We will provide it to a broader platform.”
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation sees substantial opportunities in Kenya’s digital identity landscape, believing that the potential of digital identity can be harnessed to unlock advancements in various sectors.
Mark Suzman added, “This is a huge priority of President William Ruto, and we think very appropriately so because a strong, robust, open-source digital identity system becomes a platform that not only fosters financial inclusion, where Kenya is already a global leader but can also drive significant advances in healthcare.”
Initially, the government had planned to launch the Maisha Namba project on October 2, but these plans were postponed, ostensibly to facilitate comprehensive public engagement.
According to President Ruto, the digitalization of personal identity aims to align Kenya with international standards for cross-border travel, as established by organizations such as the International Civil Aviation Organization and other global agencies.
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