Tana River Governor Hussein Dado, MP storm IDs office in Hola over ‘held’ documents

Tana River Governor Hussein Dado and Galole MP Hassan Dukicha Monday afternoon stormed the offices of the Registrar of Persons in Hola following claims that hundreds of national identity cards and application forms are being held there for unclear reasons.

Staff at the offices were caught by surprise during the 3pm incident in which Mr Dado and Mr Dukicha asked them to explain why there are thousands of uncollected IDs and dozens of registrations forms meant to be taken to the National Registration Bureau in Nairobi for processing.

On Tuesday, Mr Dukicha accused the registration officers of withholding dozens of IDs from his supporters, particularly youth from herder communities.

He claimed that they discovered tens of uncollected IDs, majority belonging to his supporters.

“They were blaming chiefs for not notifying owners but we smell a rat in the whole saga. How come that IDs [issued as early] as 2013 are still lying there,” he wondered.

SEEK EXPLANTION

The MP said he would seek explanation from Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery and the Directorate of Immigration and Registration of Persons on they have “deployed officers from one ethnic community" to serve in registration offices in the county.

“We will demand diversity and equity. It is perplexing that only one community is working in all registration offices as if they are private offices. Let all Kenyans be served equally,” said the MP.

Governor Dado was unavailable for comment but a senior officer in his office said most of the IDs found lying around were those which had been replaced and those of new applicants.

'COURTESY CALL'

Among them was that of Mr Dado’s personal driver identified as Said Wachu, who is said to have made frequent unsuccessful visit in search of the document.

However, Tana River County Commissioner Isaiah Nakoru and Coast Chief Registrar of Persons, Aggrey Masai, downplayed the stormy visit by Mr Dado and Mr Dukicha describing it as “a courtesy call to check on progress being made”.

“I am not aware of [any] storming of our offices. I have asked the officer in charge and there is nothing like that. We have a cordial working relationship with the governor and other elected leaders,” said Mr Masai.