Expect more ID reforms ahead of 2027 elections – Murkomen

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced that the government is preparing additional reforms in the issuance of national identity documents as part of efforts to improve service delivery and ensure more Kenyans are documented ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Murkomen said the reforms are aimed at consolidating gains already made in the immigration and citizen services sector, noting that access to identification documents remains a critical issue.

“Together with PS Dr Belio Kipsang, this morning I met with heads of directorates in the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services to discuss ways of consolidating our gains and rolling out more reforms in the sector,” Murkomen said.

Via a tweet on Monday, Murkomen said the government has already implemented several key changes to ease access to IDs and passports, particularly for first-time applicants and residents of border counties.

“The government has abolished all fees for first-time ID applicants, removed the extra vetting requirement for ID applicants in border counties without compromising security, and fast-tracked the issuance of IDs and passports,” Murkomen said.

The Interior CS added that additional reforms have been introduced to remove financial barriers that had previously locked out many citizens from accessing crucial documents.

“Other reforms include the scrapping of fees for authenticating birth certificates when applying for IDs and passports, and a waiver for charges on duplicate IDs,” he said.

Murkomen said more changes are being finalised to enhance efficiency and ensure timely access to services, particularly as the country prepares for the next general election.

“More changes are lined up to facilitate more efficient service delivery to the public,” he said, noting that identification remains a cornerstone for accessing government services, including voter registration.

The meeting was attended by National Registration Bureau Secretary Dr Christopher Wanjau, Civil Registration Secretary Paul Mwangemi, eCitizen Services Director-General Amb. Isaac Ochieng, Immigration Services Director-General Evelyn Cheluget, Nairobi Regional Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo, Commissioner for Refugee Affairs Mercy Mwasaru, Secretary Administration Serser Chelulei, and other senior government officials.