39C3: Hope against digital exclusion: How Gen Z and NGOs are fighting in Kenya

"Hatu Panguingui" – We are not to be sorted. A slogan that accompanied the civilian population in Kenya in the fight against an intrusive, digital identity system of the Kenyan government. At the 39th Chaos Communication Congress in Hamburg, Mustafa Mahmoud Yousif told the story of his country regarding the latest developments in digital identity and data protection. He provides exciting insights into the identity formation of people shaped by the history of colonialism.

Mass data storage

The new law "National Integrated Identity Management System" (NIMS) – popularly known as "Huduma Number" – was intended to store not only common personal data but also information such as family status and even DNA. To enforce it, the government at the time wanted to grant access to state benefits only to registered individuals. Through large-scale social media campaigns that raised public awareness, an online campaign in which 10 million people ultimately spoke out against the law, and court proceedings that led the government to rely only on voluntary registrations, the law was stopped in 2024. A newly elected government is now involving the civilian population more in the process.

But the fight is not over yet. "Digital oil" remains a tempting means of making money. This makes the fight for data protection and against discrimination and exclusion all the more important for Yousif. With his story, Yousif wants to encourage: data hunger can be stopped by a resilient population, which he also calls national intelligence, as the history of Kenya shows.

Historical burden

Identity is an issue for every person, but it is particularly sensitive in Kenya. Yousif recounts how the British, as a colonial power, restricted individual freedom of movement by dividing the country into 42 tribal areas. Every citizen had to carry a so-called "Kipande," a document that assigned them to a tribe and area. Communication between tribes was so restricted that a common uprising against the occupying power was hardly possible. Minorities were quickly discriminated against, which hardly changed in subsequent times. This makes Yousif's fight in the present all the more important. As part of a minority, he is particularly committed to the population groups who have experienced or fear discrimination.

Those who want to hear the full story of this fight for digital equality and the protection of personal data in Kenya can find it on the congress website, with a German translation available for viewing or download.

(cbr)