The High Court has declared the Huduma Namba roll out illegal.
Justice Jairus Ngaa quashed the decision by the state to roll out the cards saying all processes must be undertaken before the rollout.
Delivering the verdict Thursday, the Judge observed that the Huduma Namba roll out is in conflict with the Data Protection Act, 2019.
He however noted that a plea which sought to have the Huduma Namba roll out stopped is of no use since the government has already started issuance of the cards.
The court directed the government to create safeguards to protect Kenyans’ data. Katiba Institute had moved to court to stop the roll out of the cards by the State.
The ruling comes a day after the government said a total of 11.2 million Huduma cards have been processed and 6.5 collected.
Government spokesperson Col. (Rtd) Cyrus Oguna speaking Wednesday during a media briefing, Oguna urged Kenyans whose cards are ready to collect them.
He further said that arrangement for Phase two Huduma Namba registration is ongoing with mobilisation of the necessary resources being done and training of ICT and National Registration Bureau (NRB) officers is on-going.
The announcement on the commencement of the Phase two will be made in due course.
Oguna said that there have been concerns regarding whether Huduma Namba will be used in the coming general election and explained that the position is that it will not be used.
