Pressure is mounting on the government over reports that foreign nationals are illegally acquiring Kenyan identity cards, passports, and birth certificates.
Nominated Senator Hamida Kibwana has called for an investigation into the integrity of Kenya’s national identification, civil registration, and immigration frameworks.
Speaking in the Senate on June 11, 2026, the lawmaker called on the government to act on the alleged reports that raise integrity concerns in the country.
“This matter raises serious questions about the integrity of our registration and immigration systems. The Committee must establish how foreign nationals are allegedly obtaining Kenyan identity documents and what safeguards are in place to stop such fraud,” said Kibwana.
The senator has requested a statement from the Senate Committee on National Security, Defence, and Foreign Relations, seeking answers on the extent of the problem and the measures in place to prevent abuse of Kenya’s citizenship documentation systems.
Senate Seeks Probe on Identification Document Fraud Cases
Kibwana is seeking details on the number of cases reported, investigated, and prosecuted involving foreign nationals found in possession of fraudulently obtained Kenyan identification documents, including ID cards, birth certificates, passports, and other citizenship-related documents.
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The committee has also been asked to determine whether there are identifiable trends in the fraudulent acquisition of such documents and whether specific regions or institutions have been more vulnerable to abuse.
Questions are also being raised about coordination among agencies responsible for maintaining citizenship records, including the National Registration Bureau, Civil Registration Services, and the Immigration Department.
Kibwana stressed the need for reforms that balance national security concerns with the rights of legitimate applicants for the documents.
“Kenya must protect the integrity of its citizenship documentation while ensuring genuine citizens, especially in border regions and high-migration areas, are not unfairly denied registration services,” she said.
High Court Ruling Sparks Fresh Questions
Kibwana’s request follows a recent High Court ruling linked to the deportation of Bosnian aid worker Zlatko Gegic in February 2023.
Gegic was declared a prohibited immigrant following allegations that he had obtained a Kenyan identity card number and was attempting to secure a Kenyan passport illegally. The Kenyan government subsequently deported him.
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During the proceedings, Gegic denied having applied for a Kenyan identity card but admitted that an ID had been issued to him in June 2021 under unclear circumstances.
However, in a judgment delivered on May 26, 2026, by Justice Roselyne Aburili, the Court found that the deportation violated his constitutional right to a fair hearing under Article 47 of the Kenyan Constitution, noting that he was not given an opportunity to be heard before the decision was made.
Justice Aburili declined to order Gegic’s return to Kenya, stating that while procedural fairness had been breached, he was not entitled to Kenyan citizenship.
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