Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has raised an alarm over the high number of Kenyans who have never obtained a national identification card, despite being well into adulthood.

Speaking during a public address, Murkomen said it is estimated that more than one million Kenyans aged above 30 are living without IDs, leaving them unable to enjoy basic rights and services.

According to the CS, the situation extends beyond young adults who may have delayed applying, noting that the problem also affects people in their thirties and forties who, for various reasons, have never completed the registration process.

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Murkomen warned that such citizens cannot legally be employed, vote, or even access simple services that require proof of identification.

“There are so many people; it’s estimated that over a million adults, not those who have just turned 18 or 19, but those who are 30 or 40, have not taken IDs. They cannot be employed, they cannot vote, and they miss out on benefits from their own country,” Murkomen said.

The Interior CS urged local chiefs and assistant chiefs to take a leading role in addressing the crisis. He said administrators must walk across their jurisdictions to identify unregistered citizens and ensure they are facilitated to obtain IDs.

Murkomen particularly singled out vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities, many of whom remain hidden by families and excluded from government support programmes.

“The chiefs are the ones who recommend persons for identification. They must move around their areas, find these people, and help them access the services they deserve,” he said.

ID debate

The warning comes months after President William Ruto scrapped the decades-old vetting system that had subjected residents of northern Kenya to intense scrutiny before obtaining IDs.

The president signed an executive order in February, arguing that the policy discriminated against minority communities and denied them equal rights. Leaders from the region hailed the decision as historic, while critics described it as politically motivated and risky to national security.

Murkomen’s remarks now place renewed focus on the broader problem of identification in Kenya. While Ruto’s order addressed structural discrimination in the north, millions of Kenyans across the country remain unregistered due to ignorance, neglect, or administrative hurdles.

Kenya’s national ID has undergone three major “generations” and several material changes since 1947: the Kipande (1947), the First Generation (1980 paper card), the Second Generation (1995 smaller laminated paper card, upgraded to plastic in 2011), and most recently, the introduction of the Third Generation Maisha Card (late 2023/2024) with a digital chip and Maisha Namba.

The government insists that ensuring every citizen has an ID is not only a constitutional right but also a step toward full participation in national life.