The government has extended the waiver on fees charged for the replacement of national identity cards and changes of particulars.
In a statement on Friday, May 1, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the waiver has been extended for another six months.
"We have today issued a Special Gazette Notice extending the waiver period for fees charged on the replacement of IDs and change of particulars for a further six months," he said.
Murkomen said the decision forms part of a wider government push to make access to key registration documents easier and more affordable.
"This move complements other measures spearheaded by President William Samoei Ruto, including the scrapping of charges for first-time ID applicants and the authentication fee for birth certificates, as well as the removal of extra vetting for border communities," he added.
Read More
Murkomen urged Kenyans who qualify for identification documents to take advantage of the waiver period.
This comes months after the government had come under scrutiny following concerns over delays in the issuance of national identity cards.
Makueni Senator Daniel Maanzo raised the matter in the Senate on Tuesday, March 10, seeking a formal statement on the status of national ID issuance nationwide amid growing complaints from young Kenyans who had reached the age of 18 but were yet to receive the crucial document.
He requested a statement from the Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations, saying reports of delays had been recorded in several counties.
According to Maanzo, the delays had serious consequences for young people who relied on the national ID to access essential opportunities and services.
"The affected persons are greatly impacted, as they are unable to access certain essential government services," he said, asking the committee to provide detailed information on the issuance of national identity cards from 2024 to date, including per county data disaggregated by gender and statistics on applications currently under processing.
Maanzo further asked the committee to explain the reasons behind disparities in the issuance of national identity cards in different parts of the country.
In addition, he requested clarification on the policy, administrative, and operational steps being taken to address the situation and ensure the timely and equitable issuance of the documents.
