The politics and perils of relaxing vetting for IDs in Northern Kenya

For generations, residents of the northeastern counties had faced obstacles in acquiring IDs. [File, Standard]

When President William Ruto announced the scrapping of the 60-year-old vetting requirement for issuing national identity cards in Northern Kenya, many in the region breathed a sigh of relief.

For generations, residents of the northeastern counties of Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Isiolo, and Marsabit had faced obstacles not only accessing basic government services but also in asserting their identity as Kenyans.

Until Monday local elders in Garissa and other parts of the region hailed President Ruto for removing the requirement for locals to access National IDs saying it was discriminatory and unnecessary. 

Kenya Livestock Marketing Council Dubat Amey Chairman said the Somali community is part and parcel of the country having taken part in not only liberating it but also making tangible contribution since independence. 

“We support President Ruto for what he did, vetting was discriminatory only targeting specific communities to put hurdles on getting national ID,” he said. 

Somali personalities

Amey, a prominent elder said Kenya cannot be talking of uniting the country when some of its section is subjected to vetting which he termed as unnecessary and so exploitative. 

He cited prominent Somali personalities such as General Mahamud Mohammed who halted the 1982 coup attempt during President Daniel arap Moi’s reign and Issack Hassan former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chair who have contributed immensely in Kenya’s growth adding that the Somali community have contributed so much to be subjected to vetting. 

“President Ruto was right to reverse such discriminatory laws that prevent people from getting national identitycards,” said another elder Mohamed Hassan. 

The vetting requirement originated in the aftermath of the Shifta insurgency in the 1960s — a secessionist conflict where Somalis and Muslim Borana in Northern Kenya sought to join Somalia.

To counter this threat, the government imposed vetting protocols, including ethnic profiling, before issuing birth certificates and ID cards to residents of border counties. This vetting was intended as a security measure to detect and prevent infiltration by foreign nationals or secessionists.

However, over the years, it has been become a source of systemic discrimination and many legitimate Kenyan citizens in Northern Kenya have struggled to access official documentation. 

The process involved having the applicant go through a panel that included members of the military intelligence, National Intelligence Service, provincial administration as well as community elders who are claimed to know the applicant and can vouch for them. 

A blessing

Civil society who have been in the forefront of advocating for removal of vetting noted that its removal was a sigh of relief to locals. 

Garissa-based Muhuri coordinator Abdihakim Shurie said that the decission was a blessing as locals were subjected to unending discrimination for what was ideally their right.

‘‘You cannot use vetting as a prerogative to bar genuine Kenyans from getting IDs, unfortunately foreigners used to get IDs even with vetting in place, “ he told The Standard yesterday.

‘‘The government needs to ensure no foreigners get IDs,”he added.

The relaxation of security vetting has, however, coincided with troubling reports of forged or fraudulently issued government documents to foreigners masquerading as Kenyan citizens which has led to several cases where official identification was allegedly issued to non-citizens. That has raised concerns about the integrity of the national register and electoral rolls.

According to the 2009 census, the population of Northern Kenya’s key counties was approximately 1.15 million. Mandera had 867,457, Wajir  (661,941), Garissa (623,060), Marsabit (291,166) and Isiolo (143,294). By the 2019 census, population figures rose, with estimates now suggesting close to two million inhabitants across these counties.

When in February President Ruto signed the proclamation abolishing vetting for ID issuance in border counties he said openly that it was tied to his second term plans saying, “Nasikia wananitishia na mambo ya one term; mimi nimekuwa mjumbe miaka 15, nimekuwa naibu rais na nimekuwa rais. Watanishinda aje? Leo nimesema hiyo vetting imekwisha; hakuna kuendelea kuonea watu wengine. Hii ubaguzi imedumu miaka 60 tulisema tutatoa. Hii itawapelekea ndugu zetu katika mikoa hii kujisikia sawa na wengine Kenya nzima.”

Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi welcomed the decision stating, “Usitishwe kuhusu 2027. Shida ilikuwa ni ID; sasa tuko nayo na kura zote 2027 ni zako.”

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale also praised the move as a historic freedom akin to Kenya’s independence achievements by past leaders, “Uhuru, Kibaki, Moi na Kenyatta walishindwa na hii kitu. Leo ni kama umetupatia uhuru.”

Yet, some observers see a political calculation at play. With the northeastern voter bloc potentially expanding following removal of vetting hurdles, President Ruto stands to gain a political advantage in the 2027 election. The easing of ID issuance could increase voter registration from a region once marginalised by discriminatory policies.

Presidential election

On the voting front, Northeastern Kenya had roughly 882,000 registered voters taking part in the 2022 presidential election, a number that political analyst Martin  Andati says has risen due to relaxation of vetting before issuance of IDs but will not help Ruto come 2027 elections.

In 2022, President Ruto garnered 188,000 votes while Raila Odinga received 378,000 votes in the region.

“President Ruto relaxed vetting as a political tool, to get more votes, but he also opened the ground and criminals are taking advantage to start issuing Kenyan citizenship. He will get some votes but he will not even get half of the votes that Raila got.” Andati claims adding: “the numbers he had already lost in Mt Kenya will not be replenished by the new votes he plans to get from the northern frontier.”

Currently, the countrywide tally for new voters has only hit 100,000. “Where are all these votes that he hopes to get? Why haven’t they registered since he removed vetting 10 months ago?” poses Andati.

“Ruto’s political calculation is winning over Northern Kenya’s newly empowered voters could prove critical. Thin margins from several areas in the country will give him a lead. With vetting barriers now gone, many expect a surge in voter registration and participation from the northeast.” says Yusuf Refigah Noah, a Nubian people’s defender and political operative.

“For years we have suffered under discriminatory policies, and President Ruto has finally made us feel like Kenyans,” Refigah says.

However, this rosy political promise comes with challenges. The easing of vetting raised concerns about possible exploitation of the system for political gain or fraudulent issuance of official documents.

Reports and court cases over the years have highlighted instances where fake IDs were issued to foreigners or unauthorised persons, undermining the electoral register’s credibility.

Ruto’s decision drew heavy criticism from the Opposition who slammed him for what they said was helping foreigners to get IDs which may also give him an advantage at the 2027 General Election.

During his recent visit in Masalani, Ruto said his administration had removed vetting and money that people were paying to get IDs. 

“We have removed all hurdles that people from this region used to face when looking for IDs, we have said children and members of the public from this region should be equal because that is what our Constitution tell us,” President Ruto said while attending the wedding of Mohamed Noordin, the son of the Director General of National Intelligence Service Noordin Haji.