Politics
All Kenyans to Start Receiving ID Cards Free of Charge, Ruto Announces
“I would like to announce today while I am in Kibra that identity card issuance should be done without any form of payment,” he stated.
President William Ruto has announced that all Kenyans will receive their ID Cards free of charge.
Speaking during the fourth day of his Nairobi tour, the head of state warned that there should not be any form of discrimination in the process.
President Ruto emphasized the importance of equal access to identification documents, saying no Kenyan should be denied an ID or forced to pay for it.
“Issues of discrimination in matters of identity card issuance are something we must do away with. Every Kenyan should be given an identity card,” he said.
The president further declared that Kenyans should no longer be required to pay for their ID cards, a change aimed at making the process more accessible to all.
“I would like to announce today while I am in Kibra that identity card issuance should be done without any form of payment,” he stated.
His sentiments come amid concerns over rising costs for acquiring and replacing national IDs, which have sparked public outcry.
In November 2023, the government, through a gazette notice, announced new charges, raising the cost of replacing lost or damaged IDs from Sh100 to Sh1,000.
Although the proposed increase for first-time applicants to Sh1,000 was later revised, new applicants must still pay Sh300, a move that has drawn criticism from leaders and civil rights groups.
The move reverses a policy that saw Kenyans pay to access this crucial document.
Historically, Kenya introduced identity cards in 1979 to enhance national security and streamline citizen identification.
Initially, the process was free, ensuring that all citizens could access this crucial document. However, over time, fees were introduced, making it harder for some Kenyans, particularly from marginalized communities, to obtain IDs.
The President’s declaration signals a potential policy shift that could see a return to free issuance of IDs for first-time applicants, addressing concerns over exclusion and ensuring all Kenyans can access essential government services.
Kenya Insights allows guest blogging, if you want to be published on Kenya’s most authoritative and accurate blog, have an expose, news TIPS, story angles, human interest stories, drop us an email on [email protected] or via Telegram
Treasury CS Mbadi Unveils Sh4.8 Trillion Budget Estimates
Fraud, Misrepresentation and A Decade Of Evasion: How Indo Africa Finance Pocketed Sh150 Million Youth Funds and Fought To Keep Every Cent
Kenya Picks Chinese Firm For Sh375 Billion JKIA Upgrade Project After Adani Fallout
The President’s Daughter and The Missing Witness: How Adut Salva Kiir’s Shadow Treasury Silenced Its Most Dangerous Critic
Kisii Under Siege: Governor Arati’s Wife Accused of Hijacking IFMIS and Running a Parallel Government
Al-Shabaab Issues Statement Defending Omar Artan, Accuses U.S. of Discrimination After Referee’s Deportation
Netanyahu To Run For Re-Election, His Party Says, After Trump Raises Doubts
US Cracks Down on Birth Tourism Schemes
Microsoft Limits Employee Use Of Anthropic’s Claude Fable 5 Over Data Retention Concerns, The Verge Reports
Standard Chartered Ghosts Haunt Joshua Oigara At Stanbic As Whistleblower Spills Beans
Cement, Cash and Courts: How the Hashu Dynasty Crushed the Ramji Brothers for Fourteen Years and Why the Walls Are Now Closing In
Inside The Urban Planning Cartel That Owns Nairobi
Why Ruto’s Favourite Candidate Adan Mohammed Could Be Locked Out of the KRA Top Job
LifeCare on the Brink: SHA Fraud, Stolen Wages, and the Rotten Empire Jayesh Saini Built
Betika Faces DCI Probe, Directors Arrest and License Revocation Over Massive 29.5 Million Safaricom Customers’ Data Breach
Este Medical Kenya Fights American’s Explosive Complaints
Fresh Move Launched to Remove Kenya Railways MD Mainga From Office After Awarding Sh817 Million Consultancy Contract
The Rot Inside Absa: How Bank Insiders Are Looting Nairobi’s Customers
Inside FAFSA Fraud: How Kenyan Cybercriminals Siphoned Millions from America’s Sh12 Billion Student Loan System
Court Confirms Safaricom Customers Data Was Sold To Betting Companies In Seven-Year Cover-Up
-
Investigations7 days agoCement, Cash and Courts: How the Hashu Dynasty Crushed the Ramji Brothers for Fourteen Years and Why the Walls Are Now Closing In
-
Investigations5 days agoInside The Urban Planning Cartel That Owns Nairobi
-
Investigations1 week agoBetika Faces DCI Probe, Directors Arrest and License Revocation Over Massive 29.5 Million Safaricom Customers’ Data Breach
-
Investigations7 days agoFresh Move Launched to Remove Kenya Railways MD Mainga From Office After Awarding Sh817 Million Consultancy Contract
-
News2 weeks agoEight Students Arrested In Kenya After Suspected Deadly School Arson Attack
-
Business12 hours agoStandard Chartered Ghosts Haunt Joshua Oigara At Stanbic As Whistleblower Spills Beans
-
News2 weeks agoHow Uhuru’s Deal With Obama In 2015 Paved Way For America’s Ebola Plan In Kenya
-
Business1 week agoTRUST BETRAYED: How Senior DTB Bank Insiders Allegedly Looted Sh149 Million From a Customer’s Account Over Five Years