Three years after gaining Kenyan citizenship, the Pemba community is beginning to experience changes brought by access to national identity documents, including opportunities to start businesses, educate children, and plan for the future.
For many members of the community, the 2027 General Election will mark another major milestone as they prepare to vote for the first time as Kenyan citizens.
However, challenges remain, including access to land and economic opportunities.
Pemba Citizenship opens new opportunities
Mayungo Village in Kilifi County is home to a large Pemba community, where fishing remains a major source of livelihood.
For Juma Masud, the sea has always provided his livelihood. Three years ago, his circumstances changed after he acquired Kenyan citizenship and received a national identity card.
Masud says the documentation has given him greater confidence and opened opportunities that were previously difficult to access.
Today, he runs a fish business near Malindi’s beaches and says he is determined to build a better life.
Before March 2023, Masud says the lack of official documentation made it difficult to operate his business openly. He kept a low profile while navigating life without recognized citizenship.
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“I used to not be able to dress like this, because if I did, I would be called a Lesene. I don’t have lenses, but now, when the fishermen come, I look like a Lesene. When the fishermen come, I look like a Lesene, he said.
“We thank everyone in the village, and we see that no one is running away.”
Ibrahim Mohamed, a Mombasa native, also spent years seeking Kenyan citizenship. He says the recognition has allowed members of the community to integrate more with other communities and take up leadership roles at the village level.
Mohamed now runs his own business in Mombasa and says citizenship has changed how members of the community participate in society.
“They can now earn a living without fear, send their children to school, and pay their school fees, and most importantly, plan for a future in the country they call home, Kenya,” he narrated.
Challenges remain despite citizenship
For more than four decades, the Pemba community has faced challenges including discrimination, poverty and lack of official recognition.
The absence of recognized documentation also pushed some members to use unofficial means to obtain identification documents.
Ali Hamadi says he once used his father-in-law’s details to secure an identity card. He says accessing genuine identification documents remains a challenge even after the community was granted Kenyan citizenship.
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“I want to change my identity. I want to leave the tribe I came from. I want to go back to our tribe. I used to have it, but now I don’t. It was very difficult. One day, my father-in-law took it. My father-in-law is from Mchongo. I had a hard time getting it back, because I didn’t know how to get it back.”
With less than a year to the General Election, members of the Pemba community are preparing to exercise their citizenship at the ballot, with many set to vote for the first time.
The 2027 election will give members who have gained citizenship the opportunity to participate in Kenya’s democratic process.
“When the time comes, I will vote. I will take the ballot. As long as I am here, I will take the ballot and vote. This is a very big step towards our democracy in Kenya.”
The Pemba community is calling on the government to address the remaining challenges as members continue to establish themselves as Kenyan citizens.
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