Duale lauds Matiang'i for issuing IDs to Garissa, Wajir residents

Former National Assembly Majority leader Aden Duale has lauded Ministry of Interior CS Fred Matiang'i for issuing identity cards to 12,000 residents of Garissa and Wajir counties.

In a statement, Duale said this will enable residents of the county to have access to government services, banking, university admission, and free movement, just like all other Kenyans.

"Today in Garissa, over 12000 Identity cards have been issued to these Kenyans, and I must therefore laud the Ministry of Interior and the Cabinet Secretary for fast-tracking the vetting and registration of Kenyans residing Garissa and Wajir County," he said.

The Garissa Township MP insisted that Garissa and Wajir residents have a constitutional right to be registered and issued with identification documents just like all other Kenyans.

"The Government must never again violate the constitution in denying citizens their rights under Article 12 and other relevant laws," Duale said.

"Article 12 of the Constitution provides that every citizen is entitled to the rights, privileges and benefits of citizenship that include a Kenyan passport and any documents of registration or identification issued by the State to its citizens," he added.

He also said the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act, 2011 also provide for registration and issuance of identification documents to Kenyan citizens.

He called on the 12,000 individuals that received their identity cards to register as voters to be able to elect leaders who will solve their problems.

Last year, Duale petitioned parliament over the lack of access to registration services by Garissa and Wajir residents.

In the petition, he asked the Departmental Committee on Administration and National Security to investigate the matter.

He also asked the committee to recommend to the Interior Ministry that persons, who were vetted and cleared as citizens, be deregistered as refugees and the same be done to people who had not been vetted.

Duale noted that the leadership of Garissa and Wajir counties has been engaging the national government on the matter since 2017.