Kenyans to automatically get IDs on hitting 18 years

The Ministry of Interior now says that Kenyans will in the future be automatically issued identity cards (ID) on turning 18 years old based on data collected from birth.

While defending the controversial vetting system that has split leaders, the Ministry noted that the new initiative which included collecting data from birth was meant to address security gaps.

This came as the ministry noted that the vetting exercise was not only domiciled in Northern Kenya as perceived by many but all border towns in the country.

According to the CS in charge Kipchumba Murkomen, the recent directive by the President on vetting in Northern Kenya was not political.

He said that the government was keen on security along the country’s borders adding that vetting of all Kenyans would start at birth so as to ease the issuance of IDs.

“Based on the data that we shall have collected from birth, there will be no need to apply for IDs but those who attain the required age will collect them from the necessary office,” he said.

The CS further noted that the ongoing vetting of IDs was not concentrated on the Kenya-Somali border but in all the country’s border towns.

Murkomen was addressing the press at Lake Naivasha Simba Lodge after a meeting with senior officers from the Ministry to review their half-term progress.

He said that the government was committed towards police reforms through the issuance of vehicles, modern equipment and addressing the welfare of the officers.

“We have acquired more vehicles for our police officers so as to ease their operations and we are keen to recruit more officers in the coming days,” he said.

Flanked by senior government officers, Murkomen added that the government was in the process of relocating prisons located near towns while constructing new penal facilities.

“We are supporting the prison department in terms of constructing new houses and making sure that they generate their own income,” he said.

On the performance of the Ministry, he said that the issuance of passports had been reduced to seven days, and while it was taking ten days to get an ID.

“The government has so far digitized over 20,000 services as part of improving service delivery and easing the cost of business,” he said.

Murkomen at the same time consoled the family of the former IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati who died while undergoing treatment in Nairobi.

He termed the deceased as a dedicated person who served the country in a position that many feared due to the political heat generated.

“The IEBC chair has turned out to be one of the hottest seats in the country and we should fully recognize the work that Chebubati did,” he said.