Editor's Review

"That huduma number was a complete fraud because we lost almost Ksh 15 billion and got very little out of it."

President William Ruto has termed the Huduma Number project, which was pushed during the previous administration a complete fraud.

Speaking on Friday, June 30 during the unveiling of digital government services at KICC, Nairobi, the President stated that a new digital id will be available to Kenyans in the next 90 days.

He asked government officials to demonstrate to Kenyans that it is possible for a digital id to be produced without spending Ksh 15 billion.

“In the next 90 days, we must have a digital id. That digital id has been traumatic for Kenya. We are all aware that there was another phantom project called huduma number, that huduma number was a complete fraud because we lost almost Ksh 15 billion and got very little out of it,” said Ruto.

He added, “We must demonstrate in the next 90 days that it is possible for us to have a digital id without spending Ksh 15 billion and without defrauding the people of Kenya. And those who did that should be ashamed of themselves.”

File image of President William Ruto. 

The Head of State at the same time noted that the government is working around to clock with telecoms for Kenyans to access cheap Kenyan-made phones by August.

President Ruto noted that the phones will be sold for $40 (Ksh 5400).