Nakuru: The Cabinet Secretary (CS) for the Interior and National Administration Kipchumba Murkomen has dispelled fears of a possible hike in security threats stemming from the government’s decision to remove extra vetting for those seeking national IDs from the border counties.
According to Kenya News Agency, the CS explained that the government had retained the necessary verification controls to deter fraudulent issuance of identification documents and that they were using local administrators, namely chiefs, to identify those seeking the documents in the affected areas. He assured that security agencies remained vigilant in detecting and preventing non-compliance with the required verification procedures and will arrest and prosecute anyone who attempts to assist or acquire Kenyan IDs illegally.
While the vetting process had been scrapped, Murkomen explained that residents in the affected areas will have to prove citizenship by presenting a birth certificate, a parent or guardian’s copy of ID, and an introduction letter from their chief to apply for their ID cards. Further, according to the new policy, parents or guardians will provide their thumbprint, and the application forms will still be scrutinized by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the National Intelligence Service (NIS) before their application is processed and ID issued.
‘We have the chiefs and assistant chiefs who will tell us this is a Kenyan born to so and so, they have attained the age of eighteen and therefore need to get identity cards,’ elaborated the CS. According to the CS, the decision to scrap the extra vetting was well thought out and was informed by the Government’s commitment to make all Kenyans equal by guaranteeing fairness in the issuance of the critical registration document.
The Cabinet Secretary clarified that the vetting exercise that was carried out for over 50 years was not only domiciled in Northern Kenya or on the Kenya-Somali border as perceived by many but at all border towns in the country, an exercise he said had also impacted cosmopolitan urban areas and cities like Nakuru. He said the policy was not being applied to one corner of the country bordering Somalia, but was also applying to all corners of the country, from Tanzania in Lunga Lunga to the border in Turkana with both South Sudan and Uganda to the border in Ethiopia and Somalia.
Speaking at Shabab grounds in Nakuru when he launched the National Mobile ID Registration Outreach Program, CS Murkomen observed that the extra vetting process was a gross violation of a section of Kenya’s rights to equality before the law and equal treatment as provided for in Article 27 of the Constitution. He added that it was unimaginable that for decades, a section of people was singled out to undergo extra vetting by dint of sharing names with people in neighbouring countries.
On February 5, 2025, President William Ruto signed a proclamation abolishing the 60-year-old requirement for extra vetting during the issuance of national ID cards in certain areas. While affirming that the discontinuation of vetting was meant to ensure a more efficient, customer-friendly registration process, the Minister asserted that the government had retained the necessary verification controls to deter the fraudulent issuance of identification documents to non-citizens.
Murkomen reassured citizens and those opposed to the removal of vetting that the government was keen on security along the country’s borders, adding that vetting of all Kenyans would start at birth to ease the issuance of IDs. ‘We are a ministry that is extremely responsible for the security of this country and we cannot play with the security. We are also responsible for ensuring that Kenyans enjoy rights equally without undue discrimination,’ he stated.
The CS said that Kenyans, in the future, will not need to apply for IDs, as the Ministry will maximize technology to capture one’s data at birth and when one attains the required age, they will automatically get one. According to the CS, to identify those who have or do not have ID, the Department of Immigration will leverage one’s existing data acquired by the government.
The CS disclosed that he will soon be launching the use of live enrolment kits for initial ID registration in all sub-counties, an initiative aimed at not only simplifying and expediting the process but also positioning Kenya as a leader in the digital economy, making it easier for citizens to access government services and conduct business efficiently. He added that the state will also inaugurate a Post-Issuance ID Tracking System which will allow citizens to track the status of their ID applications in real-time through SMS notifications or online platforms.
By providing this service, the CS said it was aimed at reducing waiting times and eliminating uncertainty in the application process, ensuring that Kenyans have easy access to updates on their applications. ‘This initiative underscores our commitment to improving the customer experience and making government services more accessible and transparent for all,’ stated the CS.
The CS has said that the much-anticipated National Digital Identity Management System will be operational and will mark a significant leap forward in the country’s journey toward digital transformation. He said the system will introduce virtual IDs and Digital Wallets, enabling citizens to store their identification documents securely on smartphones where the digital wallet will be integrated with a wide range of services, providing access to government platforms, payment systems, and even digital signatures.
The CS expressed optimism that the innovation will make identification more accessible, secure, and convenient for all Kenyans, allowing them to engage with government services and conduct business more seamlessly in today’s digital world. Murkomen indicated that the newly launched mobile ID registration outreach programme was designed to bring services directly to the people, with the goal of reaching every corner of the country, from rural villages to schools, ensuring that no one is left behind.
While noting that more mobile outreach initiatives are in the pipeline, the CS pledged that the Ministry was committed to expanding the availability of identity enrolment for Kenyan citizens living abroad through deeper partnerships with the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, to ensure that distance would no longer be a barrier to obtaining essential identification documents. The Minister said he had issued a gazette notice amending the gazette notice No. 15495/2023, reviewing charges of registration of persons following the President’s recent directive to discontinue levying fees for initial ID registration. This he noted was a crucial step in ensuring that every Kenyan had access to this essential service and that the identity registration system remained transparent, accessible, and fair for all Kenyans.
While responding to the Nakuru County elected leaders, the CS said the government was aware that several administrative units that had been established and gazetted since 2016 were yet to be staffed and assured the residents that the government was working out modalities of deploying public servants to the units so as to bring services closer to the people, adding that it would also address the issue raised by leaders over the shortage of police patrol vehicles.
Murkomen also directed security personnel to take stern legal action against members and bankrollers of criminal gangs that have been terrorizing members of the public and destroying property in Nakuru, warning that any individual involved in lawlessness would be dealt with as per the law. He put on notice cartels that have been involved in illegal fishing activities in Lake Nakuru, adding that they were probing an incident where a young fisherman disappeared without a trace.