The High Court on Tuesday evening issued a ruling barring the government from implementing and provisionally suspending the nation-wide rollout of the National Integrated Identification System (NIIMS).
The High Court also barred the government from issuing deadlines for the collection of NIIMS data, from making registration on NIIMS as a condition for receiving government services or sharing NIIMS data with any foreign organization.
The High Court, however, did not suspend the exercise since the government has the go-ahead to roll out the program pending the determination of the Court scheduled for Friday 5th April 2019.
In pronouncing its stride in winning against the government's digitization process, Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) said in a statement that the Court suspended only the collection of DNA and GPS coordinates for citizens.
Several human rights groups including (KHRC) filed a petition at the High Court seeking the suspension of the planned rollout of the exercise that was scheduled for rollout on 2nd April 2019.
KHRC was pleased with the court's provisional suspension of the rollout calling for a boycott by Kenyans.
"These orders are in place pending the determination of the #NIIMSCase We still have an important legal battle against the government in favour of privacy, dignity and due process for the Kenyan people," held the commission in a detailed explanation on Twitter.
KHRC further went on to state that; "we consider the court ruling issued just now to deal a fatal blow to the attempted mass data surveillance of the Kenyan people. We are confident that this unconstitutional project will be declared null and void."
#hivisasaoriginal