People living in Kajiado County have expressed dissatisfaction with what they perceive as unjust regulations governing the issuance of national identity cards for their children. According to their assertions, obtaining new ID cards indicating Kajiado County as the birthplace of their children requires the presentation of valid title deeds by the parents. These residents argue that such a requirement seems to be a deliberate strategy aimed at unfairly restricting the rights of non-locals and impeding their chances of securing employment, particularly within the county government. This concern was raised during a meeting held in Kitengela on a Saturday.
The plan is alleged to have been devised collaboratively by certain local administrators in collusion with registration officers in the area. The regions most impacted by this scheme include Kitengela, Isinya, Kiserian, Ongata Rongai, and sections of Ngong. A 65-year-old woman, Ms. Jane Wangari, shared with the media that her three grown children were compelled to register their ancestral Murang’a County as their birthplace, despite having been born and raised in Kajiado. Ms. Wangari herself has resided in Kitengela for over 35 years.
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“I am married elsewhere, and my children are not familiar with anyone in my ancestral home. Despite this, their identity cards falsely state that they were born in Murang’a County, where I was born. It’s misleading,” she remarked.
Mr. John Mutua expressed the challenges he faced when he had to travel to Makueni, his county of birth, to register his son for a national identity card.
Mr. Samson Kamau Kimunge criticized the title deed requirement, stating that it is discriminatory.
Mr. Kamau asserted, “We are aware that possessing a title deed is not among the stipulated requirements for ID card applications. We urge the national government to intervene and address the actions of officials causing distress to the locals.”
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A local chief, speaking anonymously to the Nation, acknowledged that the title deed prerequisite was not officially mandated for new ID applications. However, he disclosed receiving grievances from ID applicants, stating, “A title deed is not a prerequisite for new applicants. While we have received such complaints, our ability to address the issue is limited.”
On Monday, numerous youths were actively completing application forms at the Kitengela ID registration office, cognizant of the possibility that they might not be officially registered as residents of Kajiado County, their birthplace. Authorities at the registrar’s office refrained from providing comments, stating that they lacked authorization to speak to the media.