The government has rolled out a new mobile identity cards registration unit to ease the process of providing the critical identification documents to people who have attained 18 years.
Speaking in Lodwar, Turkana county during the Jukwaa la Usalama forum, Interior CS Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen said the new technology will help the over 400,000 people in the county who do not have IFs despite having attained the requisite age.
According to the CS applicants will now be able to get their cards three to seven days after application.
“The devices will be taken to the far-flung areas to ensure every person who qualifies for the cards receive the cards so that they can participate in the development of the country,” said Murkomen.
He said denying deserving residents the issuance of the identity cards amounted to discrimination and dismissed allegations that the move was targeting to shore up support for the government ahead of 2027 general election.
At the same time, the CS has promised to review the curfew hours that have affected parts of Turkana south.
He was responding to concerns from the residents who claimed that the curfew had negatively affected their businesses due to restrictions on table hours.
The government declared a 6pm to 6am curfew as part of Operation Maliza Uhalifu to restore security in parts of the Kerio Valley.
“We are businessmen, and our perishable goods like vegetables normally go to waste as a result of the curfew. We are asking the government to consider lifting the curfew now that we have security along the Kainu-Lodwar road,” said Mohammed Ali.
The CS said the curfew might be extended to 10pm to 4am and review be done within three months.
He however noted that the curfew had helped arrest cases of highway banditry
At the same time the CS said the government was committed to addressing insecurity in Todonyang and Napeitom areas of Turkana North and East respectively.
He said a multi-agency security team would be deployed in Todonyang to protect the residents against external aggression.
He said the government had commenced reconstruction of schools that had been burnt down by bandits and the remaining ones would be completed soon.
By Peter Gitonga
