This archive report was first published on 26 August 2019.
The Government has defended its decision to collect personal identifiers in the ongoing census, saying it is not engaging in unauthorized mass surveillance.
Government Spokesperson Cyrus Oguna explained that the details collected are important in helping to verify people’s identities, particularly in cases where individuals have fake IDs.
Amnesty International, however, has protested the collection of personal details, arguing that questions linked to GPS locations can identify specific individuals and their homes.
Amnesty said the collection of unique identifiers is unnecessary and that questions on identification (ID), passport, huduma, and phone numbers should be reframed.
According to Oguna, the ID card numbers are requested for purposes of verification and authentication, and not for monitoring activities.
He assured Kenyans that the information collected will be held securely by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and used for planning purposes only.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i had issued a directive for bars and entertainment joints to be closed by 5pm to allow Kenyans to be home on time for the counting, but the Civil Society Reference Group has criticized the directive, saying it infringes on people’s constitutional rights.
The census kicked off on August 24 and will continue until August 31.
