Bill Gates Plans Digital ID for Kenyan Newborns in Secretive Meetings

Critics warn the digital ID poses security concerns

Tech mogul and billionaire Bill Gates is set to assist the Kenyan government to develop digital IDs for newborns following a series of “closed-door meetings” with the nation’s president William Ruto.

The Children’s Health Defense recently reported that some critics warn the digital documents, which are reportedly to be used to safeguard identity and register for government services, could also be used as a vaccine verification system.

The rollout of the Maisha Namba, as the digital ID will be known, came following a series of meetings between Gates and President William Ruto that were “shrouded in secrecy,” as The Kenyan Post reported.

Alexis Hancock of the digital civil liberties watchdog Electronic Frontier Foundation told the Children’s Health Defense that when governments and private tech entities make secretive deals in this way, it robs the public of its right to scrutinize the services the company may offer.

“Outside companies often pitch solutions to various governments that they can solve their problem with their product,” she explained. “If governments are to implement this, the technology involved should be allowed scrutiny by the people first before anything is deployed, and delayed if it is not considered safe and equitable.”

Others warn that the digital ID could easily be employed for biometric tracking were the WHO to announce another pandemic.

“Maisha Namba – Kiswahili for ‘life number’ – is a biometric vaccination system for newborns that will replace birth certificates and help track children from birth to 5 years of age,” Dr. Wahome Ngare of the Kenya Catholic Doctors Association told Children’s Health Defense. “It will be used to monitor and ensure all children receive their vaccines.”

He points to Gates’ involvement with Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, which works with the WHO, UNICEF, The World Bank, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to vaccinate billions around the world.

“On a deeper level and based on my understanding, Maisha Namba and the Maisha card are part of the larger international ID2020 initiative, sponsored by Gates through Gavi and Microsoft and their failed vaccine passport,” Ngare explained.