Sale of IDs to foreigners is an assault on Kenya's sovereignty- Prof Kagwanja

Political analyst Prof Peter Kagwanja during the interview on Spice FM on June 16, 2026.

Political analyst Prof Peter Kagwanja has described reports that some immigration officials are selling Kenyan identity cards to foreigners as an assault on the country's sovereignty.

Speaking on Spice FM on Tuesday, June 16, Kagwanja said those involved were undermining Kenya's security and national identity.

"This is something countries go to war over," he said. "It brings in the questions about instability and insecurity because citizens are likely to react strongly to some of these revelations."

Kagwanja accused politicians of disregarding the law in pursuit of political interests ahead of the 2027 General Election, urging them treat Kenya with respect and stop behaving as if the 2027 election is the first and last election the country will ever hold.

He argued that the high stakes of the 2027 race had prompted some political elites to exploit ethnic and demographic fault lines for electoral gain.

"The stakes in the 2027 election are so high, demographically speaking, that some of our elites have decided to play around with these fault lines," the analyst said.

Kagwanja further warned that attempts to manipulate voter numbers through the alleged issuance of identity cards to foreigners could heighten tensions and fuel xenophobia against communities linked to the allegations.

"The election will be a game of numbers, and that is a dangerous game for Kenya," he said.

He also criticized President William Ruto's administration, arguing that it could no longer rely on the "hustler" narrative that helped propel Kenya Kwanza to power in 2022.

"The problem starts with President Ruto. He has not been able to win the hearts and minds of the diverse coalition that elected him in 2022," Kagwanja said.

He claimed the government's re-election strategy was increasingly focused on consolidating support among specific communities, adding that narratives around population growth in northern Kenya were being used to justify what he termed inflated voter numbers.

Kagwanja further warned that Kenya risked creating "political mercenaries" if citizenship documents were issued for political purposes.

"We have began to see political mercenaries who come to fight because politics is war by other means," he said.

He maintained that there was no legitimate reason to buy or sell Kenyan identity cards, noting that foreigners who qualify for citizenship can obtain it through established legal processes. "There is no need to buy or sell identity cards unless criminal activity is involved."

Prof Kagwanja said protecting Kenya's sovereignty requires not only military strength but also strict adherence to the rule of law. He argued that officials involved in the alleged sale of identity cards were undermining the work of the country's security and intelligence agencies.

"It is criminal to sell an identity card from a Kenyan office, and not for any purpose other than voting," he said.