Chiefs Face Accountability for Foreigners’ ID Acquisition in Their Area
The Ministry of Interior stated on Monday, April 29, that starting from May 1, local chiefs will be in charge of overseeing the process for foreigners obtaining identity cards in their regions.
The Kithure Kindiki-led Ministry informed Gossipa2z.com that the government had eliminated the vetting committees previously in use.
After a meeting between officials from the Ministry of Interior and the chiefs, a directive was released.
Throughout the years, there have been worries about the biased procedures that many foreigners faced, which were believed to be the reason why many ultimately did not receive identity cards.
Raymond Omollo, the Principal Secretary of the State Department for Internal Security and National Administration, mentioned that the government plans to improve services in border and cosmopolitan counties according to the newly revealed guidelines.
“These guidelines aim to streamline the service, ensuring predictability and efficiency while emphasising accountability, transparency, and security,” stated Omollo.
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After receiving complaints, President William Ruto announced on April 8 during an Iftar dinner with the Muslim community in Kiambu that he would eliminate the vetting system.
Ruto mentioned that the government plans to develop a new policy document to remove the vetting process and establish a clear path forward.
“I’m going to be issuing a policy document to make sure that we have a mechanism that is similar to other Kenyans so that we don’t discriminate based on religion or region,” Ruto stated
Nevertheless, the new system is anticipated to maintain scrutiny to eliminate any criminals who might seek to exploit the removal of vetting processes.
The screening process was established in the 1960s, requiring communities from the Northern border of the country to confirm their nationality before they could receive identification documents and birth certificates.
Critics however poked holes into the system arguing that it created an avenue for ethnic profiling.
Chiefs Face Accountability for Foreigners’ ID Acquisition in Their Area
