Interior Principal Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo has urged Kenyans aged 18 and above to acquire national identity cards, saying the documents are essential for equitable distribution of national resources and effective development planning.
Omollo said the government relies on accurate population data to plan development programmes and determine resource allocation, warning that regions with citizens who lack identification documents risk being disadvantaged in national planning.
Speaking during an interview with journalists, the PS said obtaining a national identity card was a legal requirement for adults and a critical step towards ensuring that every Kenyan was recognised and included in government programmes.
“Under our laws, once a person reaches age 18, having an identification card is mandatory. This allows the government to know our citizens, accurately track our population size, and plan for national development,” he said.
Omollo argued that the absence of identification documents could undermine the interests of entire communities by making it difficult to establish their population accurately when the government plans development projects and distributes resources.
“First, the government gets to know how many people are there. Even in development plans, it is done depending on the population of people,” he said.
He cited the allocation of resources to counties as an example, noting that population figures are among the factors considered in determining how national revenue is shared among county governments.
“For example, if there is some amount that should be sent to Uasin Gishu, county allocations, there is Division of Revenue and in most cases it is determined by the number of people,” Omollo said.
“So when one does not have an ID, it is an injustice you are doing to the region you come from. It is because there will be no fairness,” he added.
The PS said the government was committed to ensuring that every Kenyan could access an identity card without facing unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles, particularly in communities that have historically encountered difficulties obtaining the documents.
He noted that residents of border counties had previously faced stringent questioning and administrative obstacles during the registration process, while applicants in Nairobi often encountered fewer difficulties.
“Our commitment as a government to ensure every single Kenyan can access their ID is vital for advancing national fairness,” he said.
“Previously, a Kenyan from a border county faced endless hurdles to get an ID while someone in Nairobi could acquire theirs effortlessly.”
Omollo said the disparities had contributed to unequal access to government services, adding that the administration was working to address the historical challenges and make identification services more accessible.
“Within government services, some of our people have historically faced far more obstacles than others, and these are the exact inequities we are working to rectify,” he said.
He urged relevant agencies to continue encouraging eligible Kenyans to register for national identity cards, stressing that identification was important not only for individuals but also for the regions in which they live.
