#ResistHudumaNamba: Kenyans Online Launch Campaign against Fresh Registration of People

As fresh registration of Kenyans in 15 counties entered the second day on Tuesday, Kenyans online have launched a campaign against the exercise.

Using hashtag #ResistHudumaNamba, online users accuse the government of misplaced priorities.

Kenyans on social media have also questioned the importance of fresh registration given that the government already has the information it's asking people to submit.

On Monday, Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho said 31, 500 biometric kits were dispatched to counties for the exercise that is expected to improve government data on Kenya’s citizens.

The government says it will use the information collected to create a database known as the National Integrated Identity Management System (NIIMS).

The kits are capturing a person’s data including age, gender, level of education, marital status, place of residence, the source of livelihood among others.

Every Kenyan will be given a Huduma Namba that they will use to identify themselves while seeking crucial government services.

Foreign citizens will also be registered in the exercise and are expected to give their personal details and reasons why they are in the country.

Here's what Kenyans online are saying using hashtag #ResistHudumaNamba.

@IamJoshMe tweets:"Kenyans don't need these cards. We need better health care, affordable housing, better education system, security to all, Clean water, social justice, low cost of living and a corrupt free Kenya. It's Tano terror. Mtajua amjui. Anyway of importance is life."

@ItsBravin says:"I never talked about the Huduma Namba Yesterday because well, some of you always tend to say I like Complaining. Our National ID has NO EXPIRY date but behold! Huduma Namba has an Expiry Date! Cartels are planning to loot us to death & issa Master Card."

@RookieKE notes:"They take your fingerprints when you apply for an ID and a second time when you get a passport. What value is this #HudumaNamba adding? We must ask questions."

@r4kaman notes:"Uhuru lying Kenyans that maternity is free. Ruto launching roads that cannot survive 2 rainy seasons. Laptop and tablets that schools dont use and now this MasterCard huduma cards scam."

@Gollumsmiggle explains:"While Boniface Murage is getting locked up over 56k maternity bill, Others walking kilometers with their dead babies to the mortuary and all the while @UKenyatta is wasting 6 billion on an undertaking that will help no one but corrupt individuals."

@HarlimSagwa:"Am ready to be deported to Canada but I swear before God I #ResistHudumaNamba .issa SCAM!!!... Kenyans wake up !!!!"

@allen_arnold says:"TF so this thuggish govt has set aside ksh6B to collect some data that they already have? The only data they don't have from us is: No. of people dying of hunger. No. of people who can't afford medical services. No. of unemployed youths. Address that first!"

@ItsBravin adds:"Whether The Huduma Card is Out or not,I will #ResistHudumaNamba. I have so many numbers in my life. 1)Birth Certificate No. 2)Primary Index No. 3)Secondary Admission/Index No. 4)KCSE Cert No. 5)University Admission Number 6)KRA 7)NHIF 8)NSSF 9)Clearance cert."

@KenyanTraffic notes:"I #ResistHudumaNamba why? - Misplaced priorities, instead it would have been used for SMEs recovery and solve youths unemployment. -We haven't achieved in health in samble. - Mass corruption and debts than needs attention."

@dgithinji tweets:" We do not need new identifiers. We know who we are, what we need is education, healthcare and opportunities ... and reduced taxes."

@bkairu5 notes:"This rush to DIGITIZE everything seems to be driven by the big bucks that these projects COST. There's no evidence that they improve efficiency. We have TIMS with cloned number plates. We have IFMIS that creates millionaires from username & password."