Kirinyaga: Kirinyaga County residents have been asked to collect their National Identity Card from their nearest national administration offices or the Huduma Center in Kerugoya Town. Kirinyaga Central Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Joseph Mureithi lamented that uncollected documents include both replaced ID cards and newly registered Maisha cards.

According to Kenya News Agency, speaking at Kamuiru Boys High School grounds during the Kirinyaga Central National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) bursary disbursement event, Mureithi said the production of IDs has increased in the recent past. He urged applicants to check the status of their applications from the aforementioned offices.

'We are asking those who applied to come forward and collect their IDs, a lot are currently in our offices and Huduma centre,' Mureithi explained. He assured residents that the application of new cards is currently free, encouraging those who are 18 years and above to apply for the document. 'Those who have completed form four or anyone above 18 years should apply for an ID, it will assist in different daily activities apart from elections,' he added.

Manager Huduma Center Kerugoya, Stella Murage Mukami, echoed the DCC's sentiments, noting that the time frame for ID production has significantly reduced. Once a person applies, they should collect it within a month. Huduma Center, through its Huduma Mashinani Program, offered different services to residents who attended the bursary disbursement event, including Social Health Authority (SHA) registration and filing tax returns through the KRA Itax system.

During the event, Kirinyaga Central Member of Parliament (MP) Gachoki Gitari presided over the disbursement of school bursaries worth Sh60 million to various learning institutions. He directed his NG-CDF committee members to deliver the funds to the schools immediately to avoid learning interruption as schools reopen from Monday.