Health CS Aden Duale with Sak Girls’ Secondary School students /STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Health CS Aden Duale has warned officials against frustrating the issuance of national identity cards in Northeastern, saying such actions undermine citizens’ rights and government reforms.
He said officers involved in the registration process had received clear instructions from President William Ruto to ensure all eligible applicants obtain identity cards easily and without unnecessary obstacles.
Duale spoke at Sak Girls' Secondary School in Balambala subcounty, Garissa county.
He said it would be unacceptable for officials tasked with implementing the process to create barriers, particularly for residents who have endured decades of discrimination and harassment while seeking the crucial document.
According to Duale, the abolition of the vetting process in Northeastern and other border counties marked a significant step towards restoring dignity and ensuring equal treatment for affected communities.
“The removal of the long-standing ID vetting process by President Ruto's administration has eliminated a major obstacle that had for decades denied many eligible citizens from our region access to the crucial document,” the CS said.
“So any government officer, including teachers, chiefs or registration officials, who sabotages this exercise will be sabotaging the President's efforts to empower citizens and guarantee them equal rights under the law.”
His remarks came amid growing complaints from some applicants who claim they have yet to receive their identity cards despite applying nearly two years ago.
Many applications remain marked as “pending” on official government portals, with no explanation provided to applicants.
Duale also urged school heads across the region and the rest of the country to work closely with chiefs and officials from the Civil Registration Department to ensure students who have attained the age of 18 obtain national identity cards without delay.
“School heads must work closely with chiefs and civil registration officers to ensure no eligible young person is left behind,” he said.
The CS expressed confidence that residents of the region would overwhelmingly support Ruto’s re-election, citing efforts by the administration to address long-standing grievances affecting the community.
“I can confidently say our people have seen genuine leadership. The restoration of our dignity and equal treatment as Kenyan citizens has earned the President immense goodwill,” he said.
“The people of this region will turn out in large numbers to support President Ruto in 2027. This is one way of thanking him for ending decades of discrimination and ensuring all Kenyans are treated equally.”
For nearly six decades, applicants from parts of Northeastern and other border counties were subjected to a mandatory vetting process before being issued with identity cards.
The process required applicants to appear before special committees, provide additional documentation and satisfy extra conditions before receiving the document.
The practice attracted criticism from human rights groups and leaders who argued it unfairly targeted certain communities based on their region, ethnicity or religious background.
Following the abolition of the vetting requirement, the government gazetted new identity card registration guidelines aimed at balancing easier access with citizenship verification.
Under the new framework, applicants are required to provide proof of citizenship, including a birth certificate, copies of their parents’ identity cards and a letter of introduction from their area chief.
Parents must also appear in person to place their thumbprints on application forms, while chiefs are expected to conduct follow-up verification before applications are forwarded for further checks by security agencies, including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
Ruto has repeatedly defended the reforms amid criticism from sections of the opposition, maintaining the changes are intended to end discrimination against legitimate Kenyan citizens rather than weaken safeguards governing citizenship.
During this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations at Wajir Stadium, the President clarified that while the vetting process had been abolished, citizenship verification remained firmly in place.
“The reforms are about ending discrimination and ensuring equal access to identity documents for all Kenyans. They do not mean that citizenship verification has been removed,” President Ruto said.
He maintained that for many years, residents of Northern Kenya had faced unnecessary hurdles when applying for national identity cards despite being Kenyan citizens by birth, and that his administration remained committed to ensuring equal treatment for all citizens.
Instant analysis
Duale’s remarks underscore the political and social significance of President Ruto’s decision to abolish the vetting process for ID applicants in Northeastern and other border counties. While the reforms have been welcomed as a step towards ending decades of perceived discrimination, persistent delays in issuing identity cards risk undermining public confidence in the initiative. By warning officials against sabotaging the process, Duale is signalling the government’s determination to ensure the reforms are fully implemented. The issue is also politically sensitive, with the administration keen to demonstrate that long-standing grievances in the region are being addressed.
Health CS Aden Duale in Saka, Balambala subcounty /STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Saka Girls' Secondary School students /STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Health CS Aden Duale joins Saka Girls' students to a song /STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Saka Girls student Fatuma Hussein /STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Health CS Aden Duale addresses students of Saka Girls' /STEPHEN ASTARIKO
