Kisumu: Governors from frontier counties in Western Kenya have lauded President William Ruto’s directive to scrap vetting for national identification card applicants. The governors Dr. Paul Otuoma (Busia), Ken Lusaka (Bungoma), and Ochilo Ayacko (Migori) expressed their approval on the sidelines of the Nyanza International Investment Conference in Kisumu, emphasizing that the decision would ease access to the crucial document for people residing in border counties.
According to Kenya News Agency, Dr. Otuoma highlighted the challenges faced by many Kenyans living on the Kenya-Uganda border, who have been denied identification documents due to the longstanding 60-year-old vetting requirement. He explained that this has led to discrepancies in population figures during national censuses and affected voter registration, ultimately denying many citizens their right to vote. Dr. Otuoma urged residents who still do not have identification cards to seize the opportunity provided by the President’s decision and apply for them.
Governor Lusaka pointed out that a significant portion of Bungoma County’s population lacked identification cards due to the complex vetting process. He noted that while the county has a population of 1,786,973, only 646,598 are registered voters, suggesting that many eligible voters are unable to participate in elections due to the absence of IDs. Lusaka called on the government to deploy adequate staff in the area to assist those without identification cards.
Migori Governor Ochilo Ayacko emphasized that easing the process of acquiring identification documents would help accurately capture the population of affected counties. He noted that many people living on the Kenya-Tanzania border, particularly in Kuria, have struggled to obtain identification cards despite being citizens. Migori, with a population of 1,234,082, has only 469,019 registered voters, indicating that a significant number of residents lack the necessary documentation to register as voters, according to Governor Ayacko.
The move to abolish the vetting process for IDs was formalized when President Ruto signed a Presidential proclamation regarding the registration and issuance of national identification cards to border counties at Orahey grounds in Wajir town, effectively ending the 60-year-old vetting exercise.