New integrated digital IDs out soon

KIGALI - Barely two years after the launch of the current electronic national identity cards, government is planning to come up with an upgraded version of the document that has a built in-digital chip. According to the National ID Project Coordinator Pascal Nyamurinda, the new smart card will not replace the current one but will serve as a travel document within the East Africa Community. “We are doing systems integration where we plan to put all information such as driving license and passport details on a chip that is inserted in the smart card,” he said. “The new smart card will not replace any of the existing documents.” According to Nyamurinda, the smart card will possess the same number as the national ID. The first smart card will be launched in June this year.“Each card will cost Rwf15,000 and it will not be a prerequisite for every national to have it; only those with services like driving license, passport, medical insurance and others can apply for the card,” said Nyamurinda. “Users will be able to access various services by the use of just one card. After the launch of this system we hope to carry out more consultations in a bid to integrate other services like banking and social security among others,” Nyamurinda explained. Meanwhile, apart from Tanzania, four other members of the East African Community have agreed to use the e-ID as travel document within the Community. Tanzania expressed no interest in the system. In the meantime, De La Rue Identity Systems, a world expert in secure e-government identity solutions, yesterday announced that it will design and roll-out East Africa’s first national e-ID project for Rwanda. Ends