Kenyans may soon no longer need to apply for national ID cards, as the government plans to automate the process. 

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced that a high-tech system will register citizens at birth and automatically issue national IDs upon turning 18. 

Speaking after a security meeting on Friday, Murkomen noted that this initiative aligns with the government’s vision for a streamlined and uniform identification system.

“We are going to leverage technology to ensure that we have a record of every citizen from birth. From that point, every individual will be captured in our system,” Murkomen stated.

“This question of even applying for ID will become a thing of the past. We will capture your data in such a way that when you are 18 you just get your ID automatically. You do not have to go through a process of application,” he added.

On the same note, President William Ruto also maintained that the government will follow due procedure when issuing and processing national identification cards despite the removal of the vetting, saying that the removal of vetting was to ensure that there is equity for all Kenyans.

Speaking in Kilifi County on Friday, the President questioned why some Kenyans were unhappy with the removal of the ID vetting given that the extra vetting was discriminatory to a section of  Kenyans but remained resolute in his decision.

"I said during the campaigns that there are Kenyans who are asked different questions when they go and get the IDs. I said we shall remove the vetting and I have done it," he stated.

"It does not mean that the IDs will be given aimlessly, there are procedures that have been put in place on how the IDs should be issued. It is just that the procedure must apply equally to all Kenyans.”

The Head of State had earlier declared that the vetting process was discriminatory as it only applied to residents of a select group of Kenyans from six counties includingTana River, Mandera, Garissa, Wajir, Isiolo, and Marsabit, during his visit to Mandera on Tuesday, February 4. 

This was met with a lot of criticism, as leaders including Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya felt that the removal of the vetting would compromise the security of the country.

"This is going to turn into a scramble for Kenya because they have opened the door to problems they won’t be able to stop. I am deeply concerned that terrorists could simply come in, and obtain IDs, and nobody would know their background. You just walk in, and you are given an ID," Natembeya opined.

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