The government has introduced an innovative solution to tackle the longstanding challenge of national ID registration in marginalised communities, the Mobile Live Capture Unit (MLCU). This portable, battery-powered device is set to revolutionise how citizens in remote areas access identification documents, cutting processing times from months to just three days.
The gadget, currently being piloted in underserved regions like Samburu and Turkana counties, addresses critical barriers that have left hundreds of thousands without IDs.
In Turkana alone, nearly 400,000 adults lack this crucial document, while Samburu has a backlog of 92,000 unregistered citizens.
A Mobile Live Capture Unit (MLCU) is a portable, battery-powered digital registration system used to quickly enroll citizens for government-issued identification documents (like national IDs, birth certificates, or voter cards) in remote or underserved areas.
The gadget is compact, lightweight, and battery-operated for use in areas without electricity or internet connectivity, and because of its portability, it can be transported to villages, schools, or refugee camps.
It captures biometric data (fingerprints, photos) and personal details electronically, transmits data securely to central databases for near real-time processing, and reduces ID issuance time from weeks/months to just 3 days.
The MLCU includes safeguards to prevent fraud (e.g., live fingerprint detection, facial recognition).
Historically, factors such as vast terrains, insecurity, poor infrastructure, and now-abolished discriminatory vetting practices have hindered access to registration services.
The MLCU works by electronically capturing biometric data, including fingerprints and photographs, from applicants and transmitting it securely for processing.
Its portability allows registration officers to reach pastoralist communities, schools, and far-flung villages where traditional office-based enrollment was impractical.
Once registered, applicants receive their IDs within 72 hours, a dramatic improvement over previous timelines that stretched to six months or longer.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen emphasized the transformative potential of the technology during assessments in Samburu and West Pokot counties.
Murkomen noted that the MLCU not only speeds up registrations but also ensures integrity in the process through built-in safeguards against fraud.