Massive campaign to give Central residents identity cards kicks off

Gladys Wangare Wambugu, 88, being registered to get her national identification card at Othaya Constituency Development Hall yesterday. Ms Wangare lost her ID during the post-election violence in 2008 in Eldama Ravine. [PHOTO: KIBATA KIHU/STANDARD]

A major campaign has been launched to give residents of Mount Kenya region identity cards (IDs).

Issuance of IDs is currently going on in all counties in the region and is reportedly being coordinated by region’s respective county commissioners.

According to sources, the national bureau of registration expects to register about 1.5 million youths who have attained the requisite age of 18 years.

The registration of persons is under way in Kiambu, Nyeri, Murang’a, Kirinyaga and Embu, among other counties.

In February, President Uhuru Kenyatta directed the Ministry of Interior to ensure that all Kenyans who have attained the age of 18 are issued with ID cards.

Early this month Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery revealed that 1,200 registration clerks would be hired to ensure the exercise is successful.

Registration deadline

The Treasury has already set aside Sh655 million for the exercise.

According to Nyeri County Commissioner Onesmus Musyoki and County Registrar of Persons Lucy Njeri Mwaura, the exercise which started on Monday this week, will end on April 30.

Nyeri targets to issue 160,000 ID cards by the end of the registration deadline. The office also expects to issue an estimated 100,000 new generation or replace old or lost ID cards.

“This is purely a Ministry of Interior and Coordination activity and it has nothing to do with any other player. We are now appealing to youths, those who lost their identity cards and others applying for the new generation IDs to take advantage of the latest initiative,” said Musyoki.

In Nyeri, like other neighbouring counties, the national registration officials are accompanied by chiefs.

“We are also involving officials of area community representatives since they are able to recognise their area residents seeking registration,” said Mwaura.

On Monday, Mwaura said 500 people applied for IDs in Nyeri County.

In the neighbouring Laikipia, County Commissioner Apollo Okello said they are targeting 30,000 new registrations by the end of the registration exercise.

“This is a normal and day-to-day responsibility of the Government. The only difference is that we have decided to go to the villages and register Kenyans,” said Okello.

In Mwea West Sub-County, Kirinyaga County, registration officer Ann Wangari Mwangi said officials have started registering people.

“We are going for them and we hope to cover all villages within the specified time,” said Ms Mwangi.