Nominated Senator Hamida Kibwana has called for a Senate inquiry into allegations that foreign nationals are obtaining Kenyan citizenship documents through fraudulent means.
The senator has requested a statement from the Senate, seeking an investigation into reports that non-citizens have illegally acquired Kenyan identity cards, passports, birth certificates, and other official documents used to prove citizenship.
Her request has been referred to the Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations, which is expected to examine concerns surrounding the credibility of Kenya’s immigration, civil registration, and national identification systems.
Kibwana's concerns stem partly from a recent court decision involving Bosnian aid worker Zlatko Gegic, who was deported in February 2023 after being declared a prohibited immigrant.
Authorities had accused him of irregularly obtaining a Kenyan identification number and attempting to secure a Kenyan passport.
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However, according to the senator's statement, the High Court ruled on May 26, 2026, that the deportation breached his constitutional right to fair administrative action under Article 47 of the Constitution.
"This matter raises serious questions about the integrity of our registration and immigration systems. The Committee must establish how foreign nationals are allegedly obtaining Kenyan identity documents and what safeguards are in place to stop such fraud," Kibwana said.
The lawmaker wants the committee to determine the circumstances surrounding the case and assess whether there are wider weaknesses within government systems that could allow the unlawful acquisition of citizenship documents.
She is also seeking information on the number of cases investigated or prosecuted over the last decade involving individuals found in possession of fraudulently obtained Kenyan identification or citizenship documents.
In addition, the committee has been asked to examine existing safeguards within the National Registration Bureau, Civil Registration Services, and the Immigration Department to establish whether they are sufficient to prevent abuse of the registration process.
Kibwana further emphasized the need to strike a balance between protecting the country's citizenship records and ensuring that legitimate applicants are not unfairly affected.
"Kenya must protect the integrity of its citizenship documentation while ensuring genuine citizens, especially in border regions and high-migration areas, are not unfairly denied registration services," she said.
Kibwana is also seeking details on the involvement of criminal syndicates, brokers, or organized networks that may be facilitating the fraudulent acquisition of Kenyan documents, as well as measures taken against those responsible.
Meanwhile, Murang'a Senator Joe Nyutu has called for a detailed explanation over the reported expiry of drugs and medical supplies valued at about Ksh1 billion at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA).
Raising the matter in the Senate on Thursday, June 11, he asked the Senate Standing Committee on Health to investigate the circumstances surrounding the loss, describing it as an issue of national importance.
Nyutu noted that the expired stock reportedly included critical medicines and medical supplies used to treat cancer, HIV/AIDS, malaria and other serious illnesses.
He said the incident raises concerns about procurement processes, inventory management, stock monitoring, distribution systems and accountability at both KEMSA and the Ministry of Health.
Nyutu wants the committee to provide a comprehensive breakdown of the affected commodities, including their total value, quantities, types, and expiry dates, as well as details of the warehouses and health facilities where the stock was stored before it became unusable.
He also sought clarification on the factors that led to the accumulation and eventual expiry of the medicines.
Nyutu asked the committee to examine whether failures in procurement planning, demand forecasting, stock monitoring, stock rotation, distribution mechanisms, or coordination between agencies contributed to the losses.
He further requested the committee to determine whether public health facilities experienced shortages of the same medicines and supplies while the expired stock remained in storage.
Nyutu also wants details on the actions taken by KEMSA and the Ministry of Health after receiving reports of such shortages.
In addition, he called for the identification of the officers, departments or institutions responsible for the procurement, storage, management and distribution of the affected supplies.
