Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that every eligible adult Kenyan will receive an identity card, guaranteeing access to all constitutional rights and services.
“There are so many people, estimated at over a million adults in Kenya, many in their 30s and 40s, who still do not have national IDs. Without IDs, they cannot be employed, vote, own shares, or access many rights and benefits that belong to them as citizens,” he said.
Speaking in Homa Bay County during the Jukwaa la Usalama forum that coincided with celebrations for International Identity Day, Murkomen announced a nationwide mass civil registration drive aimed at all Kenyans currently without identity documents.
“Chiefs and assistant chiefs play a critical role in recommending persons for identification. They must walk around their locations, identifying people and helping them access services, especially vulnerable persons with disabilities who are often hidden by families and miss vital government support,” he said.
He reiterated that no Kenyan should be disenfranchised, excluded from services, or rendered stateless due to a lack of legal identification.
“Effective today, the Civil Registration Services will no longer charge authentication fees for birth certificates when applying for National Identity cards or passports,” he declared. He added that the government is also reviewing the current Ksh.500 fee for late birth certificate applications, aiming to make the first issuance free of charge.
To enhance efficiency, the CS launched a real-time Biometric ID Verification System featuring three key components: an online solution that verifies identity without a physical ID, full fingerprint integration for secure certification, and the authentication of physical IDs against stored data. He noted that the system will eventually link to digital wallets, enabling secure access to government services, healthcare, and digital payments.
Murkomen also announced the abolition of extra vetting requirements for communities in border counties, describing it as a step towards equity and fairness.
Highlighting the scale of the challenge, he pointed out that more than one million Kenyan adults, many in their 30s and 40s, still lack national IDs, which denies them employment opportunities, voting rights, property ownership, and access to government services.
He urged chiefs and assistant chiefs to play a crucial role in identifying and recommending individuals, particularly vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, who are often hidden by families and miss out on vital government support.
The CS was accompanied by Internal Security PS Dr. Raymond Omollo, Immigration and Citizen Services PS Dr. Belio Kipsang, and senior security officials during the event, part of the ‘Jukwaa la Usalama’ grassroots engagement forum.
“The government remains fully committed to delivering legal identity to every Kenyan, without exception,” Murkomen affirmed.
