The 10-year expiry date on the Cards has been among the key concerns raised by Kenyans regarding the Maisha Cards
The government has confirmed that Kenyans will replace their National Identity Cards (IDs) (Maisha Cards) every 10 years.
Immigration and Citizen Affairs Principal Secretary Julius Bitok in a statement sent to Viral Tea revealed on Monday, July 22 that applicants seeking to renew their cards will however not need to go through the biometric registration process afresh.
However, they will have to retake their passport-size photos, a matter Bitok explained is because the facial features of a person may change over the years.
“Holders will need to renew their National ID cards every ten years. This is a standard practice in countries such as Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Senegal, and France, among others that have implemented an ID with a microchip,” said Bitok.
Immigration PS, Julius Bitok speaking during a consultative meeting at Sarova Whitesands Hotel in Mombasa on July 12, 2024. /JULIUS BITOK
He added, “Applicants seeking renewal of expired National ID cards will not be required to undertake fresh biometrics. However, they will retake their passport-sized photos due to potential changes in facial features over the years.”
The 10-year expiry date on the Cards has been among the key concerns raised by Kenyans regarding the Maisha Cards, with questions raised regarding the feature that has never before been introduced on Kenyan national IDs.
The Maisha Card as well as its supporting infrastructure, which includes the Unique Personal Identifier (Maisha Number), Digital ID and the National Integrated Personal Registration System (Maisha Database) were introduced in November 2023, and so far, the National Registration Bureau (NRB) has issued 972,630 Maisha cards with 531,329 new applications and 441,301 duplicates.
Bitok, in defence of the Maisha Cards, gave the following reasons which necessitated the introduction of the Maisha Ecosystem:
- Compliance with best practices: The Maisha ecosystem complies with regional and international best practices on the standardisation of essential features of personal registration documents including the National ID Card.
- ICAO Requirements: It also complies with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requirements on cross-border identification documents.
- Enhanced Security: The system enhances security features in the National ID card, making it difficult to forge and tamper with.
- Digital ID Features: It introduces features that enable a digital version of the National ID Card.
Database Consolidation: It consolidates several existing databases into a master national register, negating the need for multiple and separate personal registration records.
The introduction of the card, Bitok added, was preceded by at least 820 public and stakeholder engagements, including civil society, religious leaders, the private sector, the media and the public.
“The Maisha Card features a machine-readable microchip that contains relevant security features and personal details. Like other documents, such as ATM cards, the microchip has a shelf life of a maximum of ten years from the date of issuance. The expiry date has no direct correlation with the general election date,” he stated.
At the same time, he mentioned that the NRB has acquired a modern printer and enhanced the printing capacity to 30,000 IDs per day against an average demand of 10,000 applications.
“The NRB appreciates the importance of the National ID Card as a constitutional right and an essential identification document and will strive to ensure eligible Kenyans obtain it as soon as possible,” added the statement.
