Gov't Announces Plan to Trace Select Mombasa Residents

The Ministry of Interior has announced plans to trace residents in Mombasa whose national identity cards have already been processed but remain uncollected. 

The initiative was announced following a meeting between Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo and Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir. 

In a statement, the ministry said the processing and release of national identity cards formed part of the discussions held during the meeting between the two leaders.

"National Identity Cards and the release of processed IDs were among the key issues discussed by Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Dr. Raymond Omollo when he was hosted by the Mombasa County Governor, Abdulswamad Nassir," the statement read.

The ministry revealed that it will work closely with the county administration to identify and reach residents whose identity cards are ready but have not yet been collected.

"The Ministry, in partnership with the county administration, is tracing residents whose National Identity Cards have been processed but remain uncollected," the statement added.

This comes months after the government came 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.