Kericho: Residents of Belgut sub-county within Kericho County are now benefiting from a one-stop government service point offering the processing and issuance of national identity cards at a single location. The temporary registration centre hosted at Kaptoboiti Chief’s Office is facilitating national identity card applications and collections at the same point.
According to Kenya News Agency, Belgut sub-county Registrar of Persons, Ezra Koech, highlighted that the initiative aims to improve efficiency and ensure that more residents are registered and issued with identification documents in a timely manner. During field outreach services, the team is able to capture many new applicants, with the capacity to register up to 80 applicants in a single day.
Koech mentioned that a backlog of about 600 uncollected national identity cards had been reduced to 100, thanks to the establishment of the temporary registration centre. He acknowledged the support of the National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO) team in facilitating the process, with chiefs and assistant chiefs mobilizing applicants to collect all remaining identity cards.
The officer expressed appreciation to the National Registration Bureau for supporting the mobile registration exercise. He noted that with additional facilitation, the department could expand its reach and register more unregistered applicants across the sub-county.
Belgut Assistant County Commissioner, Doronew Wanjala, stated that the temporary registration center was set up to bring government services closer to the public, describing it as a one-stop shop for government services. Registration for Social Health Authority (SHA) services is also being conducted at the center, aiming to improve access to health coverage and expand enrollment under the national programme, alongside the recently concluded Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) voter registration exercise.
Wanjala emphasized the importance of ensuring citizens access services at the same point, including national identity card registration, replacements, and collection of ready cards in collaboration with chiefs and assistant chiefs. He noted that 500 identity cards were issued in the past week, enabling residents to register as voters, enroll for SHS, and access other services like university applications through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).
Among the beneficiaries was Elon Kipgeno, 18, who received his national identity card after five months of waiting. Kipgeno expressed relief at the convenience of accessing the service locally, stating his plans to use his ID card to open a Sacco account for saving his tea earnings.
