- The commission is conducting the week-long inquiry in partnership with Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance.
- The commission will audit the procedures followed in issuing ID cards to the residents and identify any loopholes.
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The Commission on Administrative Justice (Office of the Ombudsman) is conducting an inquiry into claims of discrimination in the issuance of national IDs in Wajir and other border counties.
The team will be led by commission vice-chairperson Washington Opiyo Sati and commissioner-Access to Information, Lucy Ndungu.
The commission is conducting the week-long inquiry in partnership with the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance, an intergovernmental think tank that provides research and project support to states and international actors in improving security.
“This is following numerous complaints by citizens and media reports alleging discrimination and inordinate delays in the issuance of Identity cards and Kenyan passports against residents of Northern Kenya, particularly those of Somali ethnic origin residing in the Wajir,” the commission said in a statement.
The commission is engaging the State, non-state actors and members of the public to document barriers and challenges faced by citizens in getting the documents. The inquiry ends on February 23.
“Government agencies are under obligation under Article 232 of the Constitution to ensure effective and efficient processing of these vital documents to all Kenyan citizens without delays and discrimination,” the commission said.
It noted that without the documents, citizens cannot claim their basic rights and enjoy public services such as registration in government social protection programmes, health care, school enrolment and the right to vote.
It added that citizens may also have difficulties securing employment, accessing legal services, opening and operating bank accounts, registering mobile phones and moving freely in and outside the country.
The inquiry aims to identify challenges faced by the residents in the acquisition of National Identity Documents, Kenyan passports and birth/death certificates.
The Ombudsman is also seeking to identify challenges faced by state actors (National Registration Bureau officers at the National and county level, administrators at the county, subcounty, location and village levels, and the county and subcounty security teams) in processing ID cards for residents of border counties.
The commission will audit the procedures for issuing ID cards to the residents and identify any loopholes.
It will also ascertain the extent of alleged discrimination in the issuance of ID cards and make policy, legislative, and administrative recommendations to the government to improve the registration processes.