Kenya Kwanza government will commence the process to confer citizenship to the Pemba Community.
The 7,000 community members have been living in Kenya for decades with no document to prove their citizenship.
President William Ruto promised the community of their citizenship.
“The government has commenced the process to confer citizenship to the Pemba people living in Kilifi,” he said.
MPs and rights organisations are pushing for the recognition of the stateless Pemba community.
Early this year, the National Assembly adopted a report by the National Security and Administration Committee to grant Pemba citizenship.
The lawmakers led by Kilifi North MP Owen Baya and activists had earlier petitioned government to review the long-standing push for their recognition as Kenyans.
In March last year, the committee on the government's request visited the community and embarked on the process of acquiring data about them to prompt their registration.
In 2016, Makonde and Pembas marched to the Statehouse calling for an end to statelessness.
The Makonde were later granted citizenship but Pembas were left out.
However, on August 11, 2021, after the committee presented their findings to Parliament, according to Baya it was ruled that Pembas are Kenyans.
"The national assembly after reviewing the report confirmed that Pembas are the indigenous people of this nation and should be given their citizenship rights," he said.
