It will now be easier for Kenyans to acquire national identification documents after President William Ruto directed the National Registration Bureau and Huduma Centres across the country to issue ID cards free of charge.

The President’s latest directive signals a potential policy shift that could see a return to free issuance of national IDs for first-time applicants, addressing concerns of exclusion and ensuring all Kenyans can access essential government services.

“Issues of discrimination in matters of identity card issuance are something we must do away with. Every Kenyan should be given an identity card,” he said.

Speaking in Kibra on Thursday, President Ruto emphasised that all eligible citizens should be issued the national document fairly and without discrimination.

President Ruto declares National IDs to be issued free of charge pic.twitter.com/GmyN9FSMyh

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“I want to announce here in Kibra today that national ID cards should be issued free of charge. Everyone should receive an ID card at no cost through a fair and non-discriminatory process for all Kenyans,” he said.

This announcement comes a year and a half after the government introduced new charges for acquiring a national ID, increasing the cost from Sh100 to between Sh300 and Sh1,000. 

The proposed Sh1,000 charge for first-time applicants was later revised, but new applicants were still required to pay Sh300, making it difficult for many young people to obtain IDs. Similarly, the cost of replacing a lost document was increased from Sh100 to Sh2,000.

The move sparked an outcry from leaders and civil society groups, who argued that it denied many Kenyans, especially those from marginalised communities, access to identification documents.

Initially, ID cards were issued free of charge to ensure accessibility for all; however, over the years, fees were introduced.

The Head of State reversed these charges barely a month after signing a decree ending 60 years of state discrimination in the issuance of national IDs, which had required residents of northern Kenya, particularly along the Somali border, to undergo screening to verify their nationality.

“We want the people of northern Kenya to feel equal to the rest of the country,” Ruto said during the signing of the order in Wajir County.

“If it’s about vetting, let all children of Kenya be vetted equally without any discrimination.”