National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has backed President William Ruto’s reforms on access to national identity cards, urging Mandera residents to take advantage of the changes and register as voters.
Speaking in Lafey Constituency during a Community Empowerment Programme hosted by area MP Mohammed Abdikheir, Wetang’ula said easier access to identification documents would allow more eligible residents to participate in the country’s electoral process.
He urged those who have yet to acquire national IDs to do so and subsequently register as voters, saying residents should be able to fully exercise their right to choose their leaders.
Wetang’ula linked the reforms to what he described as the government’s broader efforts to ensure North Eastern receives the same attention as other parts of the country.
He said the expansion of infrastructure and other development initiatives in areas that have historically been marginalised showed the government was working to distribute opportunities more equitably.
The Speaker maintained that development should not be determined by a community’s ethnicity or geographical location, saying every part of Kenya deserved equal attention from the national government.
He cited this approach as one of the reasons President Ruto should be given a second term, arguing that the administration had extended development to regions that had previously lagged behind.
Wetang’ula, at the same time, cautioned against politicians seeking support through ethnic mobilisation, saying such politics had no place in the country.
“Tribalism has no space in modern Kenya. Those making tribal utterances have their days numbered because Kenyans will punish them at the ballot,” he said.
He said the government would continue pursuing inclusive development while expanding opportunities in areas including employment and public service.
Health Cabinet Secretary Adan Duale echoed Wetang’ula’s assessment of the government’s record in the region, pointing to increased enrolment under the Social Health Authority as an example of expanded access to services.
Duale said nearly 300,000 Mandera residents had been registered under SHA.
“The only mistake President Ruto has made is ensuring that every county is represented equally. We will not stop serving our people because of political middlemen who want to derail our development agenda,” Duale said.
The push for greater political participation was also backed by Shinyalu MP Fredrick Ikana, who urged residents of North Eastern to register as voters in large numbers.
Ikana said increased registration would give residents a stronger voice in determining the country’s leadership, while expressing confidence that Ruto would secure another term.
“President Ruto will serve his second term. We must begin thinking about how power will transition in 2032. Leadership should also reach communities that have never had the opportunity to lead this country, and we will work together with all like-minded leaders to achieve that,” he said.
Other leaders at the event similarly called for national unity and an end to ethnic politics, backing Wetang’ula’s position that development and opportunities should reach all parts of the country regardless of region or community.
