Kenya’s High Court Delays National Biometric ID Program

Kenya’s high court last week temporarily suspended the country’s new national biometric identity program until the government enacts laws to protect the security of the data and prevent discrimination against minorities. From a report: The government had said the IDs would be required for all Kenyan citizens and foreign residents to access a broad range of rights and services, including health care, education, public housing, voting, marriage licenses and registering mobile phones. But the court’s three-judge panel announced in proceedings on Thursday that it is suspending the digital ID program until the government has in place “an appropriate and comprehensive regulatory framework” that would protect the personal data it collects and safeguard minorities from discrimination. The panel’s 500-page judgment is expected to be released this week. The decision is a setback for the government, which had already collected data from nearly 40 million Kenyans during a mass registration in April and May last year. The government will now have to pass new legislation — under public scrutiny — to build in protections and implement the biometric program. It is unclear how long that might take.