President William Ruto has announced the free issuance of national Identity Cards (IDs), a year after the government increased charges for the processing of ID cards.
Speaking during his tour of Kibra on Thursday, March 13, President Ruto noted that Kenyans should not be charged for the ID cards.
The Head of State added that the new directive was aimed at ensuring that Kenyans are not left out, given that he had also removed the requirement for extra vetting.
“Issues of discrimination in matters of identity card issuance are something we must do away with. Every Kenyan should be given an identity card. I also want to announce while here in Kibra that national IDs should be issued without any charges and in an unbiased process,” the Head of State announced amid cheers from the crowd.
However, it is not clear whether President Ruto’s new policy will also apply to those seeking to replace IDs.
Charges for applying and replacing IDs increased
His sentiments come amid concerns over rising costs for acquiring and replacing national IDs announced by the government through a gazette notice in November 2023, which have sparked public outcry.
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Although the proposed increase for first-time applicants to Ksh1,000 was later revised, new applicants must still pay Ksh300, a move that has drawn criticism from leaders and civil rights groups.
The cost of replacing lost or damaged IDs also rose from Ksh100 to Ksh1,000.
Ruto’s declaration signals a potential policy shift that could see a return to free issuance of IDs for first-time applicants, addressing concerns over exclusion and ensuring all Kenyans can access essential government services.
Earlier in February, the President signed a decree ending years of State discrimination in the issuance of national identification documents for the residents of Northern Kenya making it easier for them to acquire the vital documents.
Ruto scraps vetting requirement for Northern Kenya ID applicants
During the signing the Presidential Proclamation on Registration and Issuance of IDs to Border Counties, President Ruto termed the practice unjust and disenfranchising.
“If it’s about vetting, let all children of Kenya be vetted equally without any discrimination,” he said.
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He made the remarks after publicly signing and reading out the decree at Orahey Grounds in Wajir Town.
For years, residents of Northeastern have endured extra-vetting and ethnic profiling by the State before they acquire birth certificates and national identity cards.
“We want the people of Northern Kenya to feel equal to the rest of the country,” the President said.
Vetting became a security requirement for issuing identity cards and birth certificates in Northern Kenya after the Shifta insurgency of the 1960s, a secessionist conflict in which ethnic Somalis, Muslim Borana, among others, attempted to join Somalia.
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