Makerere University, Uganda – March 14, 2025 – Graduate students funded under the Certifications of Citizenship in Africa (CERTIZENS) project presented their ongoing research to the Doctoral Committee at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS). The session, held at the Grand Global Hotel in a Kampala suburb, aimed to evaluate the students' progress as they approach graduation, with the CERTIZENS project nearing its completion.
The CERTIZENS project is a collaborative initiative funded by DANIDA, involving three universities: the University of Copenhagen, the University of Ghana, and Makerere University. Its primary goal is to investigate the impact of digitized biometric identification systems, focusing on how these systems affect citizenship, state-society relations, and individual rights, particularly in Uganda and Ghana.
Dr. Asiimwe Belinda Godfrey, the project’s founder, shared that the initiative emerged in response to the global push for biometric identification, driven by organizations like the World Bank and IMF. While these systems aim to enhance government planning and service delivery, concerns have arisen regarding data security, citizenship legitimacy, and the marginalization of vulnerable populations. “We are questioning whether these systems truly serve the people’s interests or if they primarily benefit external corporations,” Dr. Godfrey noted. The project examines how biometric systems impact various ethnic and social groups, such as the Banyarwanda in Uganda, whose citizenship has been challenged due to the streamlined nature of modern ID processes. The research also explores how digitization affects access to vital services like banking, education, and healthcare.
