Streamline issuing of IDs

A parliamentary committee’s decision to summon Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery to explain why millions of Kenyans have not been issued with national identity cards confirms the vital importance of these documents.

Without IDs, it is difficult for most Kenyans to prove their citizenship.

The scrutiny that goes into the issuance of the national ID cards makes it the prime document, confirming the identity of the holder.

Though the government has made tremendous efforts to enable all citizens to get their IDs, there are still some hitches.

Huduma centres have speeded up the processing of IDs and other documents but the work is far from done. 

The officials responsible must evaluate the system and clear any hurdles.

However, the registration bureau has often complained about tens of thousands of IDs that have been processed but lie uncollected in its offices all over the country.

With the next General Election just a year away, some people will be making frantic efforts to register or get lost IDs replaced in order to be able to sign up and vote.

The issuance of national IDs is a continuous process that must never be tied to events such as elections.

The government should make it easier for all eligible Kenyans to obtain their IDs.