I.D processing delays leave Kenyans stranded

Thousands of Kenyans applying for national identification cards have for the last six months been waiting for the all important documents without success.

A spot-check by Citizen TV across the country has revealed that thousands of Kenyans have been camping outside Huduma Centres nationwide with officials citing a system failure as the reason behind the situation.

In Nakuru, for instance, Bramwel Kagoni has been patiently waiting for his I.D. card for the past six months. The extended period of waiting for his national ID has caused delays in his plans to enroll in a college course, obtain a driver's license and enroll for online jobs that require identification for registration.

"The situation is always the same; the officials tell me that the document is in the final stages of processing but I am yet to receive the document," said Kagoni.

Kagoni who plans to join a public university in the next two months is hopeful that the government will intervene and address the situation before it is too late.

Approximately 200 kilometres away in Kisii County, residents camp outside Huduma Centre in search of the critical document.

"I applied for the document on January 3 but every time I come to collect it I am told it is not ready. I can't even land a job because I don't have necessary identification documents," Kasera Happy, a resident, said.

In both Bungoma and Garissa counties, a similar narrative unfolds, wherein individuals who are in need of replacing their lost identification cards are compelled to endure a prolonged waiting period.  Even Kenyans residing within Nairobi have not been spared.

Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary (PS) Julius Bitok has attributed the challenge to breakdown of the production machine and a court order issued last December which suspended issuance of new digital identification cards.