NAIROBI Kenya, Mar 8- Trans-Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has called on President William Ruto to reconsider his decision to abolish the vetting of those seeking ID cards in Northeastern Kenya citing security threats to the country.
Speaking at the funeral of former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Chairman the late Wafula Chebukati, Natembeya emphasized the importance of vetting warning that relaxing these measures could have serious implications.
“I am humbly requesting, with total humility, that instead of removing it, we revisit and streamline the process to ensure that those sitting on the vetting committees are properly vetted and compensated so that Kenyans can obtain their IDs. Vetting does not deny Kenyans their IDs, it prevents foreigners from obtaining them, ensuring our national security,” he explained.
The former Rift Valley regional commissioner argued that previous presidents had valid reasons for maintaining the vetting process
Natembeya warned that the abolition process could escalate terrorism in Kenya, particularly in North Eastern regions bordering Somalia.
He claimed that many foreign terrorist who are unable to acquire Kenyan IDs, resort to launching attacks using Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) at the border and they go back to their countries.
“When vetting was absent, terrorism was rampant in the country. Foreign radicals infiltrated Kenya, recruited local youth, and spread terror. If we now allow them to easily obtain IDs, they will exploit this opportunity and intensify acts of terrorism. We must revisit this decision to prevent such threats,” he said.
However, the governor clarified that all Kenyan citizens, regardless of their ethnicity or background, should have full access to national IDs without discrimination.
In February 5, President Ruto discontinued the extra vetting and ethnic profiling for persons living within border counties registration and issuance of National Identity documents.
In a Presidential Proclamation, Ruto ordered persons, bodies and authorities within Kenya mandated to issue National Identity documents to continuously review their guidelines and processes “to ensure equitable, fair and transparent procedure in identification and registration of persons.”
The President noted that residents of border counties have historically been subjected to extra requirements for vetting processes as a prerequisite for obtaining National Identity cards.
He further noted that the National Assembly, and other government offices have received numerous petitions from these communities decrying the extra requirements for the vetting process as unjust, unfair, discriminatory, and disenfranchising.
“Article 12(1)(b) of the Constitution of Kenya entitles every citizen to a Kenyan passport and any document of registration or identification issued by the State to its citizens,” the President said.