On November 8, Interior CS Fred Matiang’i launched the deregistration exercise of Kenyans who wrongly registered as refugees from the Kenyan refugee database.
The exercise was to start on November 11 and run-up to December 11. Many felt relieved as they have faced challenges in accessing the national ID card. Many Kenyans mainly of the rural communities surrounding the refugee settlements are affected as they registered with UNHCR to get free ration, particularly during the drought period.
The exercise is, however, very slow. For example in Habaswein district, only six out 34 locations had been covered as ta December 3, even as the deadline approaches. This is as a result of the nature of the vetting design and process, which is characterized by many shortcomings that do not consider factors such as single parenthood and orphans, in which case there is no one available for thumbprint as a parent even if the person has all the qualification necessary to be deregistered.
There are those that obtained the national identification card before they were registered as refugees: They have the old and second-generation IDs and even the new ones. IDs have a systematic number reading from zero, which means the ID number can show when the person obtained it.
In fact, if a person can prove that s/he obtained before they registered as refugees, they should automatically be deregistered and need not go through the vetting. During the launch, CS Matiang’i emphasized that the process should be simple and would not be complicated for wananchi.
Another challenge is the ongoing heavy rains, which have destroyed roads, making it difficult for those affected to get to the respective deregistration centres at the district headquarters. The exercise is also centralised at the district headquarters, which require affected persons to travel all the way from their respective homes that are more than 100km away
There is now widespread panic that it will not reach the genuinely affected persons and that opportunity will not present itself anytime soon.
The Interior ministry should intervene and streamline the exercise and conduct it at various locations instead of the district headquarters, extend the deadline or make the process continuous for maximum delivery and results.
