Ruto Criticized Over Slow Issuance of National ID Cards
Elders from Garissa County have strongly criticized President William Ruto over the government’s slow implementation of his directive to speed up the issuance of national identification cards.
This comes after Ruto announced the removal of the vetting process for people living in border counties like Garissa, which was meant to simplify access to IDs.
Kenya Livestock Marketing Council chairman Dubat Amey, who spoke on behalf of the elders, urged the government to act swiftly and ensure that residents who are yet to receive their ID cards get them without further delays.
They expressed frustration that, despite the president’s public assurance during his visit to the North Eastern region, there has been minimal progress in providing these essential documents.
On February 5, President Ruto officially abolished the extra vetting process for individuals residing in border areas across the country.
The proclamation, which he signed in Wajir town, removed the previously mandatory “Nairobi process,” which had long caused significant delays in issuing IDs.
Ruto emphasized that the move was aimed at fostering national unity and eliminating discrimination that had historically affected communities living along Kenya’s borders with Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Uganda.
“We want the people of Northern Kenya to feel just as equal as other citizens in the country,” Ruto declared.
Before this directive, ethnic Somalis had to go through an intense and often lengthy vetting process before being granted national identification documents or passports.
The government had justified this additional scrutiny by citing national security concerns. The vetting was conducted by a multi-agency security team, including officials from the National Intelligence Service (NIS), local chiefs, police officers, and community elders.
To obtain an ID, applicants were required to submit numerous documents, including proof of their grandparents’ identity cards, and also provide witnesses who could verify their Kenyan lineage.
This process, however, was not required for other Kenyan citizens, making it a major source of discrimination for the Kenyan-Somali community.
Under the law, specifically the Registration of Persons Act, Kenyan citizens applying for identification cards only need to provide proof of birth in Kenya—such as a birth certificate, birth notification, or a baptismal card—along with documentation proving their citizenship, such as their parents’ Kenyan ID or passport.
However, while Ruto’s directive eliminated the additional vetting process, it does not mean there will be no vetting at all. Instead, he clarified that all identification card applications would still undergo verification at the local level, in accordance with the law.
The new process requires that any Kenyan from a border community seeking an ID must be accompanied by a recognized Kenyan citizen as a guarantor.
Ruto explained that this measure was put in place to promote a sense of responsibility among Kenyans and to ensure that foreign nationals do not fraudulently acquire Kenyan citizenship.
Despite the president’s assurance, residents of Garissa and other border counties remain frustrated, urging the government to honor its commitment and accelerate the process of issuing national ID cards without unnecessary bureaucracy.
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