Kisii: The National Assembly Committee on Administration and Internal Security has raised concern over more than 12,700 national identity cards which remain uncollected in Kisii County. Speaking during an inspection tour of the National Registration Bureau (NRB) and Civil Registration Offices (CROs) at the County Commissioner’s offices in Kisii town, the Members of Parliament highlighted the backlog as a growing challenge in the registration process, despite improvements in document production through live capture technology.
According to Kenya News Agency, the delegation was led by Lari MP Mburu Kahangara and included Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma, Elgeyo Marakwet Woman Representative Caroline Ngelechei, Teso North MP Oku Kaunya, and Mount Elgon MP Fred Kapondi. The Committee Chair expressed concern about the stringent vetting of ID applicants from border regions, stating that they face unnecessary screening even with valid birth certificates.
Kahangara emphasized the need to eliminate additional screening during ID application, in line with the presidential directive to abolish the practice. He noted that many affected applicants possess birth certificates proving their Kenyan birthright and that further vetting is discriminatory.
The lawmakers plan to engage the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services to streamline the process and ensure equal treatment for all Kenyans seeking identification documents. Kisii County has exceeded its target by registering over 34,000 new ID applicants for the financial year 2026/2026, yet over 12,000 cards remain uncollected.
Kahangara urged applicants to collect their IDs promptly, noting the importance of the document for the upcoming 2027 General Election, and praised civil registration officers for issuing birth certificates efficiently despite staff shortages. However, the MPs cautioned that the recent government directive to operationalize civil registration services in all sub-counties might strain existing resources.
The Committee assured the public that the issues raised during the visit would be included in their recommendations to improve access to registration and civil documentation services nationwide.
