Govt to Spend Ksh25 Billion to Set Up Face Recognition System Linking CCTV Cameras to IDs

The Kenyan government is planning to introduce a new facial recognition system that will help security agencies identify people involved in crimes.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the technology will connect CCTV cameras with a database containing official photos of Kenyans, including pictures used in national identity cards.

The project will first be launched in six major towns: Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, and Nyeri.

According to Murkomen, the government will spend about KSh25 billion on the project.

He explained that Kenya currently does not have a system that can match faces captured by CCTV cameras with official records to identify individuals.

The Cabinet Secretary said information collected through the system will not be used as evidence in court cases. Instead, it will help investigators track down suspects and support criminal investigations.

The government expects the procurement process to be completed by the end of August 2026, before the system is rolled out.

Murkomen also revealed that the government may partner with private businesses and connect their CCTV cameras to the national command centre to improve security monitoring.

The new system will also work together with the Nairobi Intelligent Transport System (ITS), a project aimed at reducing traffic congestion in the capital.

Recently, Kenya secured a KSh 10.8 billion loan from South Korea to support the ITS project.

The traffic project will include the upgrade of 60 major junctions in Nairobi and the installation of smart traffic systems such as CCTV cameras, traffic signals, vehicle detection systems and electronic message signs.

The government also plans to build one new bridge and expand two existing bridges as part of the project.

Construction, testing, and commissioning of the transport system are expected to take about 30 months.

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