Ruto: IDs will be issued to legitimate Kenyans only, vetting of citizenship remains

President William Ruto has clarified that the government's reforms on the issuance of national identity cards did not abolish verification of citizenship, insisting that only legitimate Kenyan citizens will receive the documents.

Speaking during the Madaraka Day celebrations in Wajir County on Monday, Ruto said the reforms introduced by his administration were aimed at ending discrimination against communities in northern Kenya and other border counties, not weakening safeguards on citizenship.

The President said for decades, many residents of northern Kenya faced unnecessary hurdles when applying for identity cards, despite being Kenyan citizens by birth.

He cited the case of Bakaja Ibrahim Osman, a resident of Wajir, who was repeatedly subjected to extra scrutiny and demands for additional documentation whenever he sought to acquire a national ID.

"Every time Osman went to apply for an identity card, he was treated not as a Kenyan but as a suspect, an illegal alien," Ruto said.

He noted that Osman’s experience mirrored that of hundreds of thousands of residents in northern Kenya who were subjected to a vetting system that he described as discriminatory and rooted in suspicion.

The President said the Constitution guarantees all Kenyans equal treatment regardless of ethnicity, religion or geographical location.

"Every Kenyan deserves equal protection, equal dignity and equal treatment under the law," he said.

Ruto recalled that in February 2025, while in Wajir, he signed a presidential declaration on the registration and issuance of IDs and birth certificates in northern Kenya and other affected counties.

According to the President, the move ended decades of discrimination that had denied many citizens access to basic identification documents.

He said the reforms have already enabled thousands of young people who attained the age of 18 to obtain national identity cards without facing additional requirements.

Ruto cited Abra Abdul Rahman Ali Osman and Mariam Isaac Mohammed, both born in 2007 in Wajir County, as among the beneficiaries who successfully acquired IDs after turning 18.

"They walked away with their national identity cards. No hurdles, no extra documentation, no discrimination, no humiliation, just their rightful documents in their hands on time," he said.

However, the President stressed that the changes should not be interpreted as a relaxation of citizenship requirements.

"Let me be direct about what that decision was not. It was not an invitation for foreigners to acquire Kenyan documents illegally," Ruto said.

"Kenyan identity cards will only be issued to legitimate citizens of this republic."

He said the government remains committed to protecting the integrity of Kenya's identification system and safeguarding national security.

"We did not abolish verification of citizenship. We abolished discrimination," the President said.

"We abolished the targeting of entire communities simply because of their ethnicity or place of birth."

Ruto argued that ensuring fairness in access to identification documents and maintaining security measures are not mutually exclusive objectives.

"A strong nation does not choose between security and justice. A strong nation protects both," he said.

The President said the reforms have helped many residents who previously felt excluded from government services and opportunities.

"People like Osman and Mariam no longer feel like strangers in their own country. They feel seen and heard. They feel recognised. They matter and they belong," he said.

He added that inclusion must go beyond the issuance of identification documents and be reflected in access to education, healthcare, economic opportunities and public services.