North Eastern Residents to Receive IDs in 21 days

Residents of six counties in Northern Kenya will now receive Identification Documents 21 days after application.

Principal Secretary for Immigration and Citizens Services Julius Bitok says the targeted counties include Mandera, Garissa, Waji, Marsabit, Tana River and Isiolo.

Speaking during a meeting with North Eastern Kenya region Members of Parliament, Bitok said the government is working towards reviewing mandatory vetting of applicants.

“I want to announce that we will implement this in the Northern frontier counties so that all Kenyans will get their IDs without discrimination,” he said.

‘We will be determined to remove any obstacle that hinders the government to achieve the target of achieving 21 days as announced by the CS a month ago, and we are ready to achieve this as government.”

At the same time, the PS wants school-age children in the northern frontier counties receive IDs while they are enrolled in school to assist do away with the government’s vetting system.

“If a child produces a birth certificate, and the ID of the father and the mother, then what is needed is to engage IPRS to confirm both parents are Kenyan, then there should be no reason why that child is denied an ID,” he said.

“Our objective here is to ensure we create a system that will end discrimination in issuance of IDs, Birth certificates and passports so that every Kenyan should feel that they are at home.”

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Leaders from the region urged the government to eliminate the long vetting process, which makes it difficult for residents to get IDs, birth certificates, and passports.

In February, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kindiki Kithure directed the National Registration Bureau to shorten the process to avoid delays to the young people in the larger Northern Kenya.

“No more inordinate delays to our young people in our border county of Marsabit and the larger Northern Kenya who have had to wait for years to get Identity cards,” said Interior CS Kithure Kindiki.