Murang’a: More than 16,000 national identity cards remain uncollected in various subcounty registration of persons offices within Murang’a County.
According to Kenya News Agency, the County Registrar of Persons, Juliet Mutitu, reported that a total of 16,436 IDs were yet to be picked up by their owners at the end of October this year. Among these, 8,063 are Maisha Cards and 8,373 are second-generation ID cards.
Ms. Mutitu noted a significant increase in the backlog compared to last year, when about 13,000 IDs were uncollected. “The number of uncollected identity cards has gone up considerably. We are concerned because despite our continued outreach efforts, many residents are yet to collect their IDs,” said the registrar. She attributed this pileup partly to the ongoing transition from the second-generation ID cards to the Maisha Card, which forms part of the government’s digital identification initiative.
Initially, a fee of Sh300 was required for the Maisha Card, but President William Ruto waived this fee on March 13, 2025, to ease the transition and encourage uptake. Murang’a South leads in the number of uncollected IDs, with 1,028 Maisha Cards and 914 second-generation IDs. Ms. Mutitu stated that her office collaborates with local chiefs, school administrators, and other stakeholders to ensure eligible residents, especially high school students, receive their identification documents.
“We have been liaising with chiefs and school managements to help us distribute the cards to students and notify residents whose IDs are ready for collection,” she explained. The registrar identified several factors contributing to the backlog, including migration, death, and public ignorance or negligence. “Some people relocate before their IDs are processed, while others unfortunately pass away. There are also cases where individuals simply fail to collect their cards even after being notified,” she added.
Mutitu urged residents to visit the registration offices where they applied and collect their IDs, emphasizing the importance of possessing a valid ID for accessing essential government services and participating in civic activities.
