The state has embarked on an aggressive campaign to sensitise members of the public on the Maisha number that is expected to replace the second-generation identification card.
Narok County Commissioner Kipkech Lotiatia led various heads of department in parts of the Suswa area, where they sensitised the residents on the new initiative that the government intends to undertake.
Lotiatia demystified that the Maisha number was intended to ease the process of service delivery to wananchi, since it will be issued when a baby is born and reflected in all the documentation of that person, even in the death certificate of the particular individual.
The County Commissioner clarified that the number is different from the failed huduma number, saying before the implementation of the huduma number, there were no aggressive public participation forums to take the views of the members of the public.
“We will be moving from village to village sensitising people on this initiative that the government intends to implement. This will give us a forum to inform the people as we take their views,” he said.
The Narok County birth and death registrar said with the new law, registration will be digital, meaning people will not have to travel all the way to government offices to get a birth certificate.
“All our records will be stored electronically. Your Maisha numba will reflect in all your documents, meaning you do not have to carry all your documents like driving licenses, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) pins, and banking cards, among others,” he said.
He asked the people to give their views that will be considered before the draft is passed into law.
Isaac Partoip, a resident of the Suswa area, commended the ongoing public participation, saying the whole concept is new and needed to be understood well by the residents before its implementation.
“We do not want this to fail again like the Huduma Numba. Let the people be given the right details so that they can understand the whole conception,” he said.
Another resident, Jane ‘mama Makena’ lauded the new initiative, saying it was meant to reduce the burden of residents carrying too many documents in their bags.
He called on Kenyans to embrace and support the idea since the world is moving from analogue to digital processes.
By Ann Salaton
