Taveta: The government has initiated efforts to officially recognise the Pare community in Taveta Sub-county, marking a significant step towards addressing the issue of statelessness within the nation. This development was announced at a recent event overseen by Taita Taveta Governor Andrew Mwadime, with backing from the Minorities and Marginalized Affairs Unit (MMAU).
According to Kenya News Agency, this process is set to facilitate the Pare community’s formal recognition as citizens of Kenya, thereby granting them access to vital social services and economic opportunities previously unavailable due to their lack of official status. Governor Mwadime highlighted the community’s struggles over the years, emphasizing how the absence of recognition has hindered their socio-economic progress. “Living without official recognition has limited access to opportunities for the Pare community, both socially and economically. This process marks a new beginning towards inclusion and full citizenship,” he stated.
The initiative aligns with a directive from the presidency aimed at alleviating marginalisation and statelessness across the nation. As part of this directive, National Government Administrative Officers (NGAOs) in border counties have been instructed to expedite the identification and registration of communities like the Pare. The Pare, who have resided along the Kenya-Tanzania border for decades, have faced significant hurdles in obtaining national identification documents, affecting several thousand members of the community.
During the announcement, a member of the Pare community expressed optimism about the potential impact of this recognition. They noted that it would unlock access to crucial services such as education, healthcare, and employment opportunities, which have been largely inaccessible. The journey towards this recognition began with Public Petition No. 1 of 2025, submitted to the National Assembly, which set the community on a path towards acquiring full citizenship rights.
The forthcoming phase involves a registration exercise, anticipated to enable eligible community members to obtain national identification documents and access a range of government services in the near future.