President William Ruto has announced that all Kenyans will receive their national ID cards for free
On the fourth day of his Nairobi tour, he warned against discrimination.“We must end discrimination in ID issuance. Every Kenyan has the right to an ID,” he said.
Ruto’s announcement follows public outrage over rising costs. In November 2023, the government increased the fee for replacing lost or damaged IDs from Sh100 to Sh1,000. First-time applicants were also required to pay Sh300, a change that sparked criticism.
While addressing a crowd in Kibra, Ruto declared that Kenyans will no longer pay for IDs.
“From today, no one should be charged for an ID,” he stated.
Kenya introduced national IDs in 1979 to improve security and identification. The process was free at first, but over time, the government introduced fees, making it hard for some citizens to get IDs.
Ruto’s directive marks a return to free ID issuance. The change will benefit thousands, especially those from marginalized communities.
The next step is implementation. Kenyans now wait to see how quickly the government will enforce this policy.