Makonde to get IDs by December following Cabinet’s approval

President Uhuru Kenyatta, Deputy President Uhuru Kenyatta and Interior CS Joseph Nkaissery meet the Makonde people at State House, Nairobi. (Photo: PSCU)

President Uhuru Kenyatta Thursday issued a directive that all eligible Makonde people should be issued with national Identity Cards by December.

The President further ordered responsible Government departments to ensure the members of the community are issued with title deeds for land they own.

The Makonde are a community living in Kwale County but originally from Mozambique that has for decades been kept without citizenship.

The President spoke when he hosted a delegation of 300 members of the community, who trekked from Kwale County, at State House, Nairobi.

“I seek your apology on behalf of other Kenyans because Kenya has taken too long to consider you as our brothers and sisters,” said the President as he assured the delegation that today will be the last day that anyone will say the Makonde are not part of this nation.

President Kenyatta told the delegation that the issue had been brought to his attention by the Governor of Kwale, Salim Mvurya, and that the Government has been working to resolve the matter.

Earlier in the day, President Kenyatta chaired a Cabinet meeting, which among other issues, adopted a directive to start the process of giving citizenship to the Makonde.

During the meeting with the Makonde, President Kenyatta said he will visit Mombasa in December and by that time he wants the process of their registration completed.

The President also directed the ministry of Lands to start the process of issuing title deeds to the Makonde.

Deputy President William Ruto said it was regrettable that the Makonde have never been recognised as Kenyans up to this time, adding that the problems they have been facing have been solved now.

The meeting was also addressed by Cabinet Secretary for Interior Maj Gen (Rtd) Joseph Nkaissery and the Director of Immigration Maj Gen (Rtd) Gordon Kihalangwa.

Mzee Thomas Nguli, one of the representatives of the community who spoke at the meeting, said the Makonde have for decades sought help from Government to be recognised as Kenyans given the fact that they were brought to the country in 1940s.

He said getting jobs, owning land and even educating their children has been difficult.

He said that they were happy that the President had invited them to State House so that they can tell him firsthand the problems they have been facing.

“We have never though that one day we will be hosted at State House,” said Mzee Nguli.