Merxcine Cush
The Kenya Human Rights Commission(KHRC) has moved to court to stop the single identification platform the National Integrated Identity Management Systems(Niims).
According to the KHRC the NIIMS was sneaked into effect through Miscellanous Amendment Act 2018 that amended the Registration of Persons Act. This did not provide for public involvement in the process despite the substantial effect it will have on the lives of Kenyans .
The commission says the law violates the Constitution and there was no public participation before it was passed.
The commission says that the system is prone to lock out many Kenyans especially those who hail from pastrolist communities who do not have Identification cards for some reason or the other from accessing government services.
They say that the sensitive data that is being collected would also be subject to abuse as Kenya currently does not have a clear data protection policy.
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According to the KHRC, there is a danger in giving DNA information because it can be used for purposes that makes it susceptible to abuse by the state and/or unintended third parties
The KHRC states that access to health, education, and even freedom of movement among other rights, are now subject to surrender of personal information. NIIMS as is currently being implemented will not protect the people it was designed to protect.
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