By Renson Mnyamwezi
Concern has been raised over the rising number of elderly people applying for national identity cards in Taita-Taveta County.
Taita District Registrar of persons Jacob Mwakaba and area DC Njenga Miiri yesterday attributed this to lack of knowledge, poverty, marital problems, lack of birth and death certificates and tedious registration process. “There is widespread apathy and ignorance among the elderly in acquiring identity cards,” noted the DC.
The two spoke in Wundanyi during vetting for registration, where applications of over 60 old men and women aged 25-80 were processed.
“This is a border region and we must make sure we thoroughly screen and register the right people,” said the DC. Miiri said sensitisation programme to educate residents on the need to acquire identity cards to enable them vote in the general election was on.
At the same time, scores of Tanzania and Ugandan women married in Taita-Taveta County have been denied identity cards due to lack of certificate of registration, reports show.
Turned away
Provincial and Registration of Persons officials have said the foreign women must get certificate of registration before qualifying for citizenship in the country.
“We’ve turned away several foreign women married in the region due to lack of certificate of registration,” confirmed Mr Mwakaba yesterday. The law states a person who has been married to a citizen for a period of at least seven years is entitled on application to be registered as a citizen.
