Belgut MP Nelson Koech has claimed that identity cards alleged to have been acquired irregularly by foreign nationals were issued during the administration of former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
His remarks come amid claims published by a local newspaper alleging the existence of a network through which foreign nationals from Somalia, Ethiopia, Uganda and other neighbouring countries are obtaining Kenyan identification documents for as little as Ksh15,000.
The report raised concerns about national security and the potential impact of such documents on future elections.
Speaking on Monday, June 15, Koech said investigations into the identification cards in question showed that they had been issued in 2022, when former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i was in office.
"We looked into the Identification Cards that were claimed to be illegally acquired. These IDs were issued in 2022 when Fred Matiang'i was the Cabinet Secretary and Uhuru Kenyatta was president," he said.
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Koech argued that once an individual possesses a valid Kenyan identity card, it becomes difficult for immigration officials to deny them a passport.
According to the MP, the issuance of passports is largely dependent on the authenticity of documents already approved by other government agencies.
"If you have a Kenyan ID, what stops you from acquiring a Kenyan passport? If the National Intelligence Service in 2022 found it proper to issue it, what would the director of immigration use to deny the same person an opportunity to own a passport?" he posed.
This comes a day after nominated Senator Hamida Kibwana called for a Senate inquiry into allegations that foreign nationals were obtaining Kenyan citizenship documents through fraudulent means.
The senator requested a statement from the Senate, seeking an investigation into reports that non-citizens had illegally acquired Kenyan identity cards, passports, birth certificates, and other official documents used to prove citizenship.
Her request was referred to the Senate Committee on National Security, Defence, and Foreign Relations, which was expected to examine concerns surrounding the credibility of Kenya’s immigration, civil registration, and national identification systems.
Kibwana's concerns stemmed 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.
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 wanted the committee to determine the circumstances surrounding the case and assess whether there were wider weaknesses within government systems that could allow the unlawful acquisition of citizenship documents.
She was also seeking information on the number of cases investigated or prosecuted over the previous decade involving individuals found in possession of fraudulently obtained Kenyan identification or citizenship documents.
In addition, the committee was asked to examine existing safeguards within the National Registration Bureau, Civil Registration Services, and the Immigration Department to establish whether they were 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 were 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 was also seeking details on the involvement of criminal syndicates, brokers, or organized networks that might have facilitated the fraudulent acquisition of Kenyan documents, as well as measures taken against those responsible.
