Axing of the national ID vetting teams right move
Every country strives to protect its territorial integrity by ensuring all its bona fide citizens are clearly identified. One of the ways of averting infiltration by foreigners with ulterior motives, which can easily compromise national security, is by issuing a national identity card (ID) to every qualified citizen. The biggest challenge is the border areas, which, thanks to the colonial boundaries, have communities split among neighbouring countries.
An ID is a right that every citizen is entitled to and which determines admission into places or opportunities open to the citizens only. Its acquisition upholds citizenship. For instance, youth need IDs for recruitment into security forces and for students to apply for college loans. The system should, therefore, be devoid of irregularities like corruption and nepotism.
To seal loopholes, vetting committees for IDs have been scrapped. The role of determining who gets an ID will now be solely exercised by chiefs and assistant chiefs. They will, therefore, be held responsible should an undeserving person get an ID. Applicants will be required to provide their birth certificate or notification, academic certificate and religious and clinic cards. One will also have to produce a parent’s ID or certificate of registration as a Kenyan. Rules under the Registration of Persons Act will be amended to permit the recording of the left thumbprint of the applicant’s parent or guardian.
However, there is a need for strict monitoring to ensure that corruption in the issuance of IDs is not simply transferred to chiefs and their assistants. Officials are banking on the upcoming Maisha Namba, which will appear in one’s birth certificate, the National Education Management Information System, the Kenya Revenue Authority PIN, NSSF and Health Fund and even death certificate. It will enable the tracking of an individual since birth; hence, there’s no reason for vetting, which infringed on the human rights of some citizens.
The authorities must ensure that there is no discrimination in the issuance of this valuable document.
