Family's joy as 78-year-old man gets ID after 38 years of waiting

A family of a physically challenged man is celebrating after their kin secured a national identification card after decades of failed attempts.

For Ben Mukur, 78, it has been an endless journey since 1986 when he hit the road to secure the crucial document.

Mukur uses his hands to crawl because he was born with deformed legs. His past applications for an ID were rejected due to his disfigured fingerprints.

It has been a tormenting period for the member of the Ogiek community, to get the mandatory document after several visits to government offices in Endebess Sub-County headquarters.

Mukur, his wife and their 12 children, most of them adults, burst into song and dance when well wishers picked and drove him to collect the ID after information reached the village that it was finally ready.

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“It has has been long difficult journey for my husband and I. I’m happy now that he is can proudly call himself a Kenyan,” said Irene. 

She told The Standard that it had been impossible for them couple to solemnise their marriage without the document.

“I was compelled to apply for birth certificate for my children as a single mother since my husband lacked the identification card.” 

Their eldest son Nickson Taboi said he used his grandfather’s ID to secure his.

According to Taboi, it had been difficult for the siblings to access essential services.

Surprisingly, despite Mukur’s advanced age, it was his first time to board a vehicle.

“This is joyous moment in my life. I’m only used to motorcycles and my wheelchair,” he said.

Mukur said he almost lost hope until Peter Kitelo, Chepkitale Indigenous People Development Programme executive director, came to his aid.

It was a letter from Kitelo to the Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Julius Bitok that culminated to Mukur’s recognition as a Kenyan.

The letter read in part: “I am writing this letter on behalf of Ben Mukur Taboi who is a member of the Ogiek community and a person living with disability. He is now 78 years old and without a national identification card and having made several unsuccessful attempts to get one until he has given up. This is definitely a denial of citizenship.” 

Mukur said he had applied for the document for over 20 times. “It has been a tormenting time in my life. Whenever I apply for the ID card, I’m later told that it was unsuccessful because my fingerprints are not visible and that I should apply afresh.”

“It has been a nightmare. The endless and torturous trips to Endebess has consumed a lot of money and time and has frustrated me and my family.” 

Lack of an ID card denied him the right to own land in Mt Elgon. “I was unable to benefit from land distribution at Chepyuk Settlement Scheme because I didn’t have an identification card,” he said.

He also missed out Sh2,000 monthly stipend for the elderly under the government’s Inua Jamii Programme, due to lack of an ID.

Mukur is also registered as a person with disability and has over the years not benefitted from privileges that come with the recognition.

But he sees hope ahead. “I thank those who intervened. It is a new chapter in my life. I’m going to use the ID card to join Inua Jamii programme and other government supporting programmes.”

His brother Stanely Taboi said Mukur had been subjected to untold suffering.

Kitelo said it was the responsibility of the government to ensure people with disabilities were not neglected. “It is unfortunate that it has taken many years for Mukur to get an ID card,” he said.