Gov’t refutes claims linking Maisha Card expiry to election dates

Government has dismissed claims that the expiration dates of the newly introduced Maisha Card are tied to the timing of general elections.

In a statement issued Monday, Principal Secretary for Immigration and Citizen Services, Julius Bitok clarified that the expiry date has no direct correlation with the general election date.

Bitok explained that the card’s microchip similar to ATM cards, has a shelf life of 10 years from the date of issuance.

“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 (10) years from the date of issuance. The expiry date has no direct correlation with the general election date,” he stated

The clarification comes after Civil Society Organizations raised concerns over the legality and expiration date of the digital identity cards.

Bitok said that the introduction Maisha Card seeks to enhance  security of national identification and complies with International Civil Aviation Organization requirements.

The government rolled out the issuance of Maisha Cards on February 23 to replace traditional IDs.

So far, 972,630 cards have been issued, with 531,329 being new applications and 441,301 duplicates.

Holders of the Maisha Card will be required to renew their IDs every ten years without undergoing new biometric registration, although updated photos will be required to reflect changes in facial features.

“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,” explained Bitok.