Marsabit: Marsabit County Registrar of Persons, Isaac Kibet has urged residents who applied for national identification cards to collect their documents. He said the government is intensifying efforts to ensure all eligible Kenyan citizens obtain national IDs and access essential services and rights. Kibet said that since January 2025, more than 50,000 national ID cards have been processed in Marsabit County.
According to Kenya News Agency, the National Registration bureau in Nairobi has been sending large batches of processed IDs to the county. Once received, the cards are distributed to the areas where applicants registered, including Moyale, Saku, Korr, North Horr, Loiyangalani, Laisamis, and other parts of the county. Kibet called on all applicants who possess waiting cards to visit registration offices and collect their IDs. For those living far from registration centers, area chiefs have been assigned the responsibility of helping distribute the documents to their rightful owners.
Kibet revealed that more than 80 percent of the IDs registered in the county have already been delivered for distribution across all sub-counties. While a few applications remain unprocessed due to discrepancies, he assured residents who have not yet applied for IDs to visit registration offices in their respective subcounties. The Registrar noted that registrars have been deployed across the county to facilitate registration services.
He further emphasized that obtaining a national ID enables citizens to exercise their constitutional rights, including voter registration. He urged eligible residents to register as voters and participate in future elections. Kibet assured residents experiencing challenges in obtaining their IDs that his office remains open and ready to assist them. He explained that the registration process has become more accessible following the abolition of the former vetting system.
The Registrar said the government abolished the vetting process to simplify access to identification documents. Under the current system, a chief confirms an applicant’s Kenyan citizenship through a recommendation letter, while the registrar processes the registration. He described the previous system as lengthy and restrictive, noting that only a limited number of applicants were approved annually, leaving many eligible citizens without IDs.
At the same time, Kibet warned against attempts to obtain national IDs illegally. He said authorities have mechanisms to identify genuine Kenyan citizens and detect fraudulent applications. He also clarified that children born to at least one Kenyan parent are entitled to obtain national identification documents. In addition, he encouraged holders of the old generation national IDs to visit registration offices and apply for the newer versions.
Kibet dismissed claims that the ongoing registration exercise is politically motivated, stressing that the program is intended to serve all Kenyans equally without discrimination. He further addressed cases involving Kenyan citizens who were previously registered as refugees. He urged affected individuals to visit registration offices for assistance in confirming their citizenship status and obtaining national IDs.
Kibet reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that every eligible Kenyan citizen in Marsabit County obtains a national identification card and has access to the rights and services that come with it.
