Pastoralist communities living in Kilifi County have raised concerns over alleged discrimination in the issuance of national identity cards, saying the practice has denied them the right to access government services and participate fully in elective politics.
The communities, comprising members of the Wardhei, Orma and Borana, claim they are subjected to vetting by officials at the Registrar of Persons offices despite a directive by President William Ruto banning the practice.
Speaking during a meeting with Garsen MP Ali Wario at Tadhib Hall in Malindi Sub-County, the community members said some residents born and living in Kilifi are being directed to travel to Tana River County to obtain identity cards.
Led by Wardhei elder Sala Kulo and Orma youth Ahmed Yunus, the residents said the practice had separated them from the communities where they live and earn their livelihoods.
Yunus said he was among those forced to travel to Tana River County to obtain his ID after officials allegedly questioned his name and ethnic background.
“We have a problem obtaining national identity cards in Malindi and the problem was brought about by rogue government officials several years ago. If you visit the Registrar of Persons offices and they discover your name is, for example, Adan, we are labelled as residents of Tana River County and told to seek the services there,” he said.
Yunus said the situation had also affected his participation in elections, forcing him to travel to Garsen to vote despite being born and living in Malindi.
“I am one of the victims of that bad exercise and I was forced to travel all the way to Tana River to get the ID through a vetting committee. Now I am forced to travel to Garsen every general election year to vote yet I was born in Malindi,” he said.
Kulo said the challenge had affected his entire family, forcing him to travel to Garsen with his children whenever they need identity documents.
“Every General Election year I am forced to carry all my wives and children, about 25 in number, to Garsen to participate in voting. Hence, I miss out on opportunities such as bursaries for my children here in Malindi Constituency and Kilifi County, with officers concerned always referring me to Garsen where I am a registered voter,” he said.
He called on the national government to enforce the President’s directive against vetting and ensure residents who have attained the age of 18 can obtain IDs in the counties where they live.
Kulo said the continued requirement for members of the three pastoralist communities to travel to Tana River for identity documents amounted to discrimination and was denying many young people an opportunity to register as voters.
“It is total discrimination that Wardhei, Orma and Borana communities in Kilifi County are forced to travel to Tana River County for IDs. This has denied many people who have attained 18 years the opportunity to be registered as Kenyans and voters,” he said.
Wario, who met the community members, promised to intervene and said he had convened a meeting bringing together Kilifi elected leaders and national government officials to address the matter.
The MP warned that failure by officials to implement the President’s directive could undermine efforts to ensure eligible Kenyans obtain identity documents and register as voters ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“Is Kilifi and Mombasa different countries from Tana River where vetting must be done for people to get IDs? I am very disappointed by national government officers who are defying the President and have continued with discrimination against the pastoralist communities in this area,” Wario said.
He said lack of identity cards and voter registration was also denying the Coast region an opportunity to benefit from its population numbers when national resources and political representation are considered.
“As a region, we have a very huge population but many of our people do not have IDs and hence do not vote, while those who have IDs have not registered as voters. This has denied us an opportunity to fight for our share of the national cake due to numbers. I urge my people to get IDs and register as voters,” he said.
The community members urged national government officials in Kilifi to end what they described as discriminatory practices and facilitate the issuance of identity cards to all eligible residents regardless of their ethnic background or place of origin.
They also called for urgent intervention ahead of the 2027 General Election to ensure residents who qualify to vote are able to obtain identity documents and register as voters in their areas of residence.
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