BUSIA – In a push to enhance access to national services through the E-citizen platform, Busia County officials are calling on residents who have applied for National Identity Cards to collect their unclaimed documents from the registrar of persons. The initiative seeks to mitigate the challenges faced by over 4,000 residents unable to exercise their rights or fully participate in Kenya’s digital future due to unclaimed IDs.
According to Kenya News Agency, despite concerted efforts by National Government Administration Officers to ensure timely delivery of IDs to applicants, a significant number remain uncollected. Speaking with the press, Chaunga expressed concern over the delays, emphasizing the government’s commitment to ensuring no Kenyan is deprived of government services due to unclaimed identification documents. This statement comes amidst reports of frustrations among some residents over the prolonged wait to receive their ID documents.
Recent data from the National Registration Bureau indicates that within the Western region of Kenya, Kakamega County holds the highest number of uncollected national identity cards, totaling 7,965, followed by Bungoma with 7,145, and Busia ranking third with 4,008 unclaimed IDs. Vihiga County has 2,388 uncollected IDs, bringing the total in Western to 21,506.
The county commissioner has urged residents to visit their local National Registration Bureau offices or Huduma Centres in Busia, Bungoma, Kakamega, and Vihiga to collect their IDs. This call to action follows a controversial proposal in November 2023 by the Interior Ministry to introduce fees for applying and replacing National IDs — Ksh1,000 for new applications and Ksh2,000 for replacements. However, following public outcry, the ministry revised the fees to Ksh1,000 for replacements and Ksh300 for new applications, a decision which was subsequently suspended by the court pending a legal review.
Delays in ID production have been attributed to various logistical challenges, including breakdowns in printing machinery, shortages of printing materials, and extensive background checks, especially in border counties. In Kenya, possessing a National ID is crucial for accessing a wide array of E-citizen services, including those provided by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Transport and Safety Authority, Immigration services, business registration, marriage registration, and the Higher Education Loans Board.