Mandera: Efforts under the government's recent reforms in national identity card registration are already bearing fruit, with a notable increase in the number of first-time applicants in Mandera County.
According to Kenya News Agency, 62 residents in Mandera who applied for new ID cards last week have already received them within seven days, following Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen's directive during the Jukwaa la Usalama visit. Handing over the IDs, Mandera County Commissioner James Chacha encouraged residents to take advantage of the simplified system.
'We encourage all eligible residents to come out in large numbers and register. The process is now much easier and more efficient,' he said. Chacha also confirmed that the National Registration Bureau has rolled out Live Capture Unit technology, which allows mobile registration of students in schools and residents in remote areas.
'With this technology, every Kenyan will be able to access this crucial document without unnecessary delays,' he added. The County Commissioner revealed that the mobile registration exercise will officially kick off this month across all sub-counties.
According to the Ministry of Interior, newly registered applicants will now receive their ID cards within three to seven days. The reforms follow President Dr. William Ruto's directive scrapping extra vetting requirements for border region residents, as well as the abolition of fees for first-time applicants.
Local leaders and residents have welcomed the changes, noting that access to national identification will boost participation in education, employment, and voter registration.