Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang has intensified a nationwide push to boost national identification registration, rallying chiefs in Nandi County to take charge of grassroots mobilisation and ensure no eligible Kenyan is left undocumented.
Speaking at Kapsabet Boys High School during a sensitisation forum for National Government Administrative Officers (NGAOs), Kipsang underscored the importance of national IDs in accessing essential services such as healthcare, education, employment and financial systems.
The visit is part of the ongoing “Usajili Mashinani” (Registration at the Grassroots) initiative, a countrywide campaign being spearheaded by the PS since his appointment to the Immigration and Citizen Services docket in March 2025.
Working closely with chiefs, assistant chiefs and NGAOs, Kipsang is leading a robust sensitisation programme aimed at accelerating ID registration, improving service delivery and strengthening the national documentation system.
He revealed that more than 462,000 national identity cards remain uncollected across the country, with about 3,000 in Nandi County alone. Chiefs have now been tasked with tracing applicants and ensuring the documents are delivered closer to them for easy collection.
“Chiefs and their assistants understand their communities best and are best placed to identify and verify eligible applicants,” he said
Under the revised registration guidelines introduced following the abolition of vetting by President William Ruto, the Administrators have been empowered to authenticate applicants using their local knowledge and, in some cases, biometric verification significantly reducing delays and bureaucratic bottlenecks.
Kipsang noted that since the start of the current financial year, at least 1.7 million Kenyans have been registered, reflecting steady progress in expanding access to identification.
As part of the initiative, the government is also deploying mobile registration units in hard-to-reach areas to target vulnerable groups such as the elderly, persons with disabilities and residents in remote regions. The exercise is currently ongoing in counties including Narok, West Pokot, Baringo, Turkana and Elgeyo Marakwet County.
The mobile outreach programme is expected to expand to Kajiado, Isiolo, Samburu and Marsabit Counties as the government prioritises regions previously affected by stringent vetting requirements.
Beyond registration, the PS is also using the forums with administrators to reinforce national priorities, including enhancing security and supporting government efforts to curb alcohol and drug abuse at the community level.
Nandi County becomes the 29th to host the sensitisation programme, with similar engagements already conducted in counties such as Kericho, Bomet, Trans Nzoia among others.
The PS emphasised that the overarching goal of the “Usajili Mashinani” initiative is to eliminate regional disparities in access to identification and ensure that all Kenyans can access government services through platforms such as eCitizen.
He urged all those who have applied for IDs to collect them promptly, noting that possession of a national ID remains a critical gateway to opportunities, including voter registration and participation in national development.
By Linet Wafula
