The Birth of ‘Kitambulisho’: Meet the man who created Kenyan ID

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In 1977, Former President Daniel Moi directed a CID officer to design a new identity card to replace the  Kipande, which had been used as an instrument of oppression and control of Kenyans by colonial masters.

At the time, Raphael Musauwas the man at the helm of National Registration Bureau.

“In 1977, I was requested by then Vice President Daniel Moi to design a new Kenyan ID. This was to replace the blue colonial passbook, which had fingerprints but did not have the bearer’s portrait,” Musau told the Standard in a recent interview.

Man showing his ID card

Besides having the bearer’s picture, the new ID was also to be issued to women who were for the first time being granted the crucial document.

His roots in forensic investigations go back to 1962 when he was recruited by the CID to classify fingerprints collected from suspects.

In 1970, Musau was sent to Scotland Yard Finger Prints Bureau where he learnt the science of fingerprints at the elite Detective Training School of Scene of Crime.

A suspect registering his fingerprints

He was attached to the Glasgow Finger Print Bureau.

The 80-year-old man is currently the managing director of Hawk Eye Technologies Limited.

His company deals with forensic and general fraud investigations, handwriting and fingerprint comparison, scene of crime investigation and photography, as well as security and survey audit.

He also trains young students in Forensic Investigations and specialises in fingerprint classification.

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