Diaspora registration portal elicits mixed reactions

Moments after the government launched a web portal where Kenyans living abroad can register, many took to the social media to make their views known.

Whereas some welcomed the move, others were critical of the effort by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with many saying they did not trust the website’s security.

“A website that requires personal data should be secure and trusted to protect users from phishing scams,” commented a reader under pseudonym 42kpatriots in a post on Nation.co.ke on Wednesday evening.

On Tuesday, the government launched what it referred to as “an interactive virtual platform” where Kenyans abroad can engage and easily access services hitherto unavailable them.

(READ: State opens web portal for registration of Kenyans abroad)

The website, which requires users to create accounts by giving vital personal information such as full names, passport and national ID numbers, had notable glitches by Wednesday night, which made prospective registrants to keep off.

But most complaints came from Kenyans who were trying to register without success.

By Wednesday evening, many Kenyans expressed frustrations that the website was not working as anticipated.

'HALF BAKED PORTAL'

“I have tried to register but the tab for "select country" does not show the countries to the one I live in and does not allow me to type in the name of country. Unfortunately the website does not have either help tab or inquiry, contact us etc,” wrote David Mkenya.

Dr Josiah Nyagwaci said: “Registering without specifying country of current residence is 'tricky', given the same data might be easily manipulated.”

Others wondered why the government seemed to be in a hurry to “launch half baked portals.”

Maina Edwardo wondered whether Deputy President William Ruto tried it before the launch.

“This is embarrassing, just as other websites hurriedly launched by the Jubilee administration,” lamented Elizabeth Kaari via twitter.

Following the complaints, Nation.co.ke sought the opinion of a New York based IT expert who requested anonymity and said the new website was not encrypted as would be required of a portal handling sensitive information.

“Secure sites convert data into ciphers or codes and ordinarily, they would open with https and not http to prevent unauthorized access ,” he said.

While launching the portal, DP William Ruto, said the platform fulfills part of the Jubilee manifesto.

Robert Ocholla, a Kenyan living in China said the website had been blocked in that country.

“This is one of those sites that cannot jump over the Great "fire" wall of China,” he said.