State plans Bill to lower eligible age for ID cards

By Nicholas Anyuor

The Government is set to table a Bill in Parliament seeking to allow children from 12 years to register for national identity cards, Immigration Minister Otieno Kajwang’ has said.

Mr Kajwang’ said it was imperative for every Kenyan whose thumb print was fully developed to possess an ID card for proof of identity.

“At age 12, one’s thumb print has stabilised and should be given a national identification card. This card is mainly for identification,” he said.

He said the Bill would be tabled when Parliament resumes from recess. The age at which one acquires a national identity card at presnet is 18.

“But this will not interfere with the age for the voters’ cards, which is 18 years. There is no need for Kenyans to wait to adulthood while the thumb print stabilises at age 12,” he said.

Kajwang’ said his ministry had already secured a machine that produces 60,000 ID cards in a day against daily registration of only 25,000 Kenyans.

staff to go home

“It is only that some people are sleeping on their jobs. We have the capacity to issue enough ID cards to Kenyans at the right time and this time around we shall send home some workers at the production office,” he said.

The Mbita MP was speaking in Muhoroni constituency at the launch of the issuance of the new generation ID cards where he advised registrars to cooperate with area chiefs in identifying the locals.

“Registrars do not know these people and they should cooperate with chiefs to help them. They should not refuse to give the cards to anyone who has been identified by a chief. But chiefs must also not give false information,” he warned.

He said a circular would be sent to registrars instructing them to send registration forms to schools through the Provincial Administration for easier registration and faster issuance of birth certificates to children.

“Registrars will liaise with the Provincial Administration to send the forms to schools so that children can have birth certificates in schools to save long distance walks and time,” he said.

The Ministry of Immigration has been in the news over a myriad of complaint about the registrtaion process and the  issuance of new generation identity cards.