High Court allows Huduma Namba listing but with conditions

What you need to know:

  • The digital listing programme will be launched in Machakos County at Masii Boys High School on Tuesday by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The High Court has allowed the government to launch the Huduma Namba registration but with several tough conditions pending hearing and determination of suit against the programme.

The digital listing programme will be launched in Machakos County at Masii Boys High School on Tuesday by President Uhuru Kenyatta but the government has been barred from forcing Kenyans to register.

On Monday, the High Court has also barred the government from using the data to withhold any services or bar anyone from accessing public facilities.

In addition, the government cannot also share the collected information with international bodies.

Justices Weldon Korir, Pauline Nyamweya and Mumbi Ngugi ruled that it is in the public interest to have such a system for collection of data but the platform should not infringe on the rights of citizens and foreigners in Kenya.

The judges also suspended collection of DNA samples and GPS information but other unique identifiers remain in place.

The digital listing is set to operationalise the implementation of the National Integrated Identity Management System.