Editor's Review

Immigration and Citizen Affairs Principal Secretary Julius Bitok has sent an appeal to Kenyans over third generation ID cards.

Immigration and Citizen Affairs Principal Secretary Julius Bitok has urged Kenyans who applied for their National Identity Cards (IDs) (Maisha Cards) to pick the document. 

In a statement on Wednesday, August 28, Bitok disclosed that thousands of the third generation ID cards were lying uncollected across various Huduma Centres in the country.

"Fellow Kenyans, thousands of Maisha cards remain uncollected at our National Registration Bureau (NRB) offices and Huduma Centers across the country. Kindly visit your application center today to pick up your card," Bitok remarked.

He noted that 55,327 Maisha cards were uncollected in Nairobi, 37,708 in Kiambu, 28,581 in Nakuru, 18,529 in Kisumu, 12,533 in Kajiado, 17,140 in Mombasa, 15,842 in Kisii 13,627 in Murang'a, 13,155 in Uasin Gishu and 12,053 in Bungoma.

On Wednesday, the Immigration PS intimated that the National Registration Bureau (NRB) had cleared the backlog of ID card applications and was processing new requests as received.

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File image of an ID card.

He added that the process had been speeded up because more staff had been assigned to process the applications.

"the NRB has cleared the backlog of National ID Card applications. It is expeditiously processing new requests as received and has ramped up the printing capacity to 32,000 National ID cards per day. Further, it has deployed more personnel and introduced a 24-hour service dedicated to the processing and production of National ID cards," Bitok explained.

This comes after a conservatory order issued by the High Court on July 25, 2024, stopping the issuance of Maisha cards was lifted on August 12, 2024.