President William Ruto has announced that all Kenyans will now get national identification documents (IDs) for free. This is a major shift from the previous government policy, which required citizens to pay Ksh300 for a new application and Ksh1,000 for a renewal.
The president made this announcement on Thursday while in Ayany, Kibra, during the last day of his four-day working tour in Nairobi County. He ordered all government registration offices to follow this new directive immediately.Ruto also made it clear that no Kenyan should face discrimination when applying for an ID.
He emphasized that all citizens, regardless of their background, must receive their national identification documents without unnecessary questioning or delays. He repeated this point while addressing the crowd, insisting that IDs must be issued fairly and without any payment.
His decision came after Kibra MP Mwalimu Peter Orero raised concerns about members of the Nubian community, who have struggled for years to get identification documents due to strict regulations.
Orero requested the president to address the matter urgently and ensure that the directive is officially published in the government gazette, just like a previous order that relaxed ID application requirements in North Eastern Kenya.
Ruto’s announcement is expected to attract mixed reactions from different sections of the public and political leaders. In the past, some politicians and civil society groups have criticized his habit of making major policy decisions through what they call “roadside declarations” rather than structured government processes.
There is also concern about how the government will handle the financial burden of making ID applications free.
Many Kenyans have previously raised concerns about the cost of acquiring or renewing an ID, especially unemployed youth who struggle to raise the required fees.
Opposition figures, including Martha Karua, have strongly criticized the charges, arguing that they were designed to limit voter registration ahead of the 2027 elections.
Karua and others have accused the government of intentionally making it difficult for young people to obtain identification documents, which are necessary for voter registration.In May 2024, the then-Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki officially gazetted the ID fees, making it a legal requirement for Kenyans to pay Ksh300 for a new application and Ksh1,000 for renewals.
The government justified the charges as necessary for improving service delivery. However, with Ruto’s latest directive, it remains unclear how the government will implement free ID registration and whether the Interior Ministry will follow through with formal legal changes.While some Kenyans have welcomed the decision, others remain skeptical, questioning whether it is just a political move to gain support.
Many will be watching closely to see if the directive is properly implemented or if it will remain another unfulfilled promise.
