Connect with us

News

Duale: No official should frustrate ID registration process

Published

4 weeks ago

on

Health CS Aden Duale has warned officials against frustrating the issuance of national identity cards in Northeastern, saying such actions undermine citizens’ rights and government reforms.

He said officers involved in the registration process had received clear instructions from President William Ruto to ensure all eligible applicants obtain identity cards easily and without unnecessary obstacles.

Duale spoke at Sak Girls’ Secondary School in Balambala subcounty, Garissa county.

He said it would be unacceptable for officials tasked with implementing the process to create barriers, particularly for residents who have endured decades of discrimination and harassment while seeking the crucial document.

According to Duale, the abolition of the vetting process in Northeastern and other border counties marked a significant step towards restoring dignity and ensuring equal treatment for affected communities.

“The removal of the long-standing ID vetting process by President Ruto’s administration has eliminated a major obstacle that had for decades denied many eligible citizens from our region access to the crucial document,” the CS said.

“So any government officer, including teachers, chiefs or registration officials, who sabotages this exercise will be sabotaging the President’s efforts to empower citizens and guarantee them equal rights under the law.”

His remarks came amid growing complaints from some applicants who claim they have yet to receive their identity cards despite applying nearly two years ago.

Many applications remain marked as “pending” on official government portals, with no explanation provided to applicants.

Duale also urged school heads across the region and the rest of the country to work closely with chiefs and officials from the Civil Registration Department to ensure students who have attained the age of 18 obtain national identity cards without delay.

“School heads must work closely with chiefs and civil registration officers to ensure no eligible young person is left behind,” he said.

The CS expressed confidence that residents of the region would overwhelmingly support Ruto’s re-election, citing efforts by the administration to address long-standing grievances affecting the community.

“I can confidently say our people have seen genuine leadership. The restoration of our dignity and equal treatment as Kenyan citizens has earned the President immense goodwill,” he said.

“The people of this region will turn out in large numbers to support President Ruto in 2027. This is one way of thanking him for ending decades of discrimination and ensuring all Kenyans are treated equally.”

For nearly six decades, applicants from parts of Northeastern and other border counties were subjected to a mandatory vetting process before being issued with identity cards.

The process required applicants to appear before special committees, provide additional documentation and satisfy extra conditions before receiving the document.

The practice attracted criticism from human rights groups and leaders who argued it unfairly targeted certain communities based on their region, ethnicity or religious background.

Following the abolition of the vetting requirement, the government gazetted new identity card registration guidelines aimed at balancing easier access with citizenship verification.

Under the new framework, applicants are required to provide proof of citizenship, including a birth certificate, copies of their parents’ identity cards and a letter of introduction from their area chief.

Parents must also appear in person to place their thumbprints on application forms, while chiefs are expected to conduct follow-up verification before applications are forwarded for further checks by security agencies, including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

Ruto has repeatedly defended the reforms amid criticism from sections of the opposition, maintaining the changes are intended to end discrimination against legitimate Kenyan citizens rather than weaken safeguards governing citizenship.

During this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations at Wajir Stadium, the President clarified that while the vetting process had been abolished, citizenship verification remained firmly in place.

“The reforms are about ending discrimination and ensuring equal access to identity documents for all Kenyans. They do not mean that citizenship verification has been removed,” President Ruto said.

He maintained that for many years, residents of Northern Kenya had faced unnecessary hurdles when applying for national identity cards despite being Kenyan citizens by birth, and that his administration remained committed to ensuring equal treatment for all citizens.

Instant analysis

Duale’s remarks underscore the political and social significance of President Ruto’s decision to abolish the vetting process for ID applicants in Northeastern and other border counties. While the reforms have been welcomed as a step towards ending decades of perceived discrimination, persistent delays in issuing identity cards risk undermining public confidence in the initiative. By warning officials against sabotaging the process, Duale is signalling the government’s determination to ensure the reforms are fully implemented. The issue is also politically sensitive, with the administration keen to demonstrate that long-standing grievances in the region are being addressed-STAR.

 

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

National Assembly dismisses claims Sacco Bill is being rushed through Parliament

Published

15 hours ago

on

July 14, 2026

By

The National Assembly has dismissed reports that the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2025, is being rushed through Parliament, saying the proposed law is still undergoing public participation.

Through infographics shared on Facebook on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, Parliament said misleading information had been circulating online about the Bill, formally known as the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, National Assembly Bill No. 32 of 2025.

Bill was published in June 2025

The National Assembly said the Bill was published on June 30, 2025, and had remained under consideration for more than 12 months.

It rejected suggestions that lawmakers were fast-tracking the proposed amendments without allowing enough time for scrutiny.

According to Parliament, the lengthy period between the publication of the Bill and its current consideration shows that it is not being rushed.

Bill currently before the National Assembly committee

The Sacco Societies Amendment Bill is currently before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.

The committee is conducting public participation and receiving views from members of the public and other stakeholders.

The submissions are expected to help the committee assess the proposed amendments before presenting its recommendations to the National Assembly.

What happens after public participation?

After the public participation process is concluded, the committee will prepare a report containing its findings and recommendations.

Parliament said the views submitted by members of the public and stakeholders could inform further amendments to the Bill.

The proposed legislation will then proceed to the National Assembly for consideration by MPs.

This means the Bill has not yet completed the legislative process and could still be amended based on the submissions received during public participation.

Bill will be forwarded to Senate

The National Assembly also clarified that the Bill will not proceed directly for presidential assent after being passed by MPs.

Because the proposed legislation concerns county governments, it will be forwarded to the Senate for consideration in accordance with the Constitution.

The Senate will be required to consider the Bill before it can complete the parliamentary process and be presented for presidential assent.

Parliament urged members of the public to rely on verified information about the Sacco Societies Amendment Bill instead of unconfirmed reports circulating online-PeopleDaily.Digital.

Continue Reading

News

Digital house-hunting platform bets on technology to reshape Nairobi’s rental market

Published

15 hours ago

on

July 14, 2026

By

NAIROBI, Kenya, July 14 – A growing shift towards digital property searches is changing how Kenyans find rental homes, with real estate technology platform Reemio positioning itself as a solution to longstanding challenges.

This included fraudulent listings, costly house searches and limited market transparency.

As younger, tech-savvy consumers turn to online platforms to make purchasing decisions, the company says digitizing the rental process could improve efficiency for both tenants and landlords while lowering transaction costs.

“Our niche is to solve the problem of house hunting and also bring trust into that process. We use technology to connect renters and landlords,” said Kimani.

Kimani said the platform seeks to address inefficiencies that have traditionally made house hunting expensive and time-consuming.

Instead of physically visiting multiple properties, users can browse verified listings, take virtual tours, compare amenities and access information on additional costs such as water charges, electricity bills and service fees before scheduling physical viewings.

Beyond improving convenience for tenants, Reemio argues that technology can help landlords reduce marketing costs, shorten vacancy periods and reach a wider pool of prospective tenants, including Kenyans living abroad.

The company says its platform also generates market data that can help property owners and developers better understand evolving consumer preferences, although its long-term impact will depend on wider adoption of digital property platforms and continued investment in trustworthy online real estate marketplaces-Capitalfm.co.ke.

Continue Reading

News

ORPP edges two parties closer to joining Kenya’s political arena

Published

15 hours ago

on

July 14, 2026

By

The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) has issued a notice for the provisional registration of two proposed political parties, opening a seven-day window for members of the public to lodge objections.

In a notice published by the Registrar of Political Parties and Chief Executive Officer J.C. Lorionokou, the ORPP announced that the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) and the People’s Alternative Voice (PAV) are in the process of being provisionally registered under Section 5(2)(a) of the Political Parties Act.

The ORPP, a State office established under Section 33 of the Political Parties Act and Article 260 of the Constitution, said its mandate includes registering and regulating political parties as well as administering the Political Parties Fund.

According to the notice, the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) has adopted pink, white and sky blue as its official party colours, with the slogan “Change – Mageuzi.” The party’s symbol is the acronym SDP enclosed inside a circle.

The party’s listed founder members are Nyangong’ Duncan Nyumbah, Omwandasi Jared Dishon and Kinyua Mary Wacuka.

The founders of PAV are listed as Odenyo John Fitzgerald Elly, Nyando Rachel Mmboga and Ali Hussein Kiplangat.

The Registrar said particulars of the two proposed political parties have been published on the ORPP website to facilitate public scrutiny as required by law.

Any person wishing to oppose the provisional registration of either party has seven days from the date of publication of the notice to submit objections either in writing or in person to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties at Lion Place, Fourth Floor, Waiyaki Way at Karuna Close, Nairobi.

The provisional registration marks the first step in the legal process of establishing a political party in Kenya.

Kenya has 91 fully registered political parties. The ORPP’s updated register indicates that, as of January 2026, there were 91 parties that had met the legal requirements for full registration under the Political Parties Act-STAR.

Continue Reading

Trending