Thread by @DavidNdii

#ResistHudumaNamba A thread.
I followed the original “single source of truth” project closely, since it was my wife leading it, even contributed a few ideas. 1/9

Its objective was to upgrade the national ID from biographic to biometric meaning that it is our ID numbers would be linked to the biometrics as opposed to names. 2/9

The final product of the project would have been a new clean pop database to replace IPRS and a digital/biometric 4th generation ID. All other registries/cards would be linked to that. 3/9

Today the police officer on the beat relies on photo likeness to authenticate identity, no way of knowing whether ID is forged. With a biometric ID, you can envisage police having an app that can authenticate your identity by a thumbprint or iris scan. No need to carry ID. 4/9

This has now morphed (pun intended) to a new fangled parallel system which sounds like a social security cum surveillance system with commercial interests lurking in the background.
5/9

If this was upgrading the ID system, there would be no need to threaten people with denial of services in order to comply, we are already accustomed to upgrading our IDs every so often. 6/9

There is no mention of the ID system upgrade. Why? If it ain’t broke, why fix? Done properly, a secure biometric ID system would eliminate the need for voter registration, since everyone would be in the system, and also make it difficult to manipulate the roll. 7/9

This is the reasons why the ID project was killed, and this is probably still the reason why a parallel system is being set up. We don’t need new fangled number. What we need is a secure biometric ID system. 8/9

Government cannot just make demands and impose new administrative burdens on citizens whenever it feels like without consultation and consent. This colonial provincial administration legacy must be resisted and uprooted. 9/9

@VioWainaina

https://twitter.com/DavidNdii/status/1097956623472099328