Of course, the online discomfort, which has since gone viral with the #ResistHudumaNamba hashtag, does not sit well with people behind the registration exercise. To this end, folks in charge of the state’s PR have launched a counter movement that appears to further introduce more controversy into the matter. For instance, some are arguing that Huduma Number will be linked to Huduma Card. The card was not mentioned before, but a basic search reveals that the government struck a deal with MasterCard to hone the purpose of Huduma Namba.
Here is what MasterCard reported on its newsroom:
The Huduma Card is a prepaid card with chip and PIN technology that will connect all Kenyans to the formal financial sector by providing a secure, reliable and flexible payment option. The Huduma Card, powered by Mastercard, is currently being issued by Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA), Diamond Trust Bank (DTB), Equity Bank and Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), with no bank charges being allocated to citizens when registering for the smart card.
Kenyans will be able to pay for an array of Government services such as the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), National Social Security Fund (NSSF) amongst others. Citizens issued with the smart prepaid card will automatically be enrolled in vital government services such as the National Social Security Fund and the National Hospital Insurance Fund, ensuring all Kenyans benefit from these initiatives.
To patriotic Kenyans: #ResistHudumaNamba. The tyrant @UKenyatta plans to use the Huduma Card to ILLEGALLY monitor the movements and activities of all Kenyans. That’s unconstitutional. Kenya is not a private Kenyatta Estate. @UKenyatta does not own Kenya and Kenyans.— Dr. Miguna Miguna (@MigunaMiguna) February 19, 2019
Our Government needs to be Fully transparent on Huduma Namba. Is it related to previous Huduma Card run by Mastercard? Where will all individual information under Huduma Namba be domiciled? By MasterCard, a foreign company? How safe is the info from Criminal & Terrorist Hackers?— Donald B Kipkorir (@DonaldBKipkorir) February 19, 2019