Manyatta Constituency Member of Parliament Gitonga Mukunji has boldly called out the government over its recent decision to impose a Ksh1,000 charge on Kenyans seeking to replace their lost ID cards.

Speaking during an interview with SPM Buzz on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, the MP lamented how the government has abandoned its people, saying they blatantly introduce fees for services that citizens should rightfully receive for free.

The MP, known for his ardent criticism of President William Ruto’s government, was addressing the recent abolishment of the ID vetting process in Northern Kenya by President Ruto and was responding to enquiries about his stance on the matter, as many Kenyans have voiced concerns over the president’s move.

This is when he began by asserting that the government should not be discussing vetting Kenyans for ID issuance in the first place, as it is a fundamental human right, and took a swipe at the administration, declaring that no Kenyan should undergo vetting because they are rightfully citizens by birth.

“Let me first say that by the fact that you are a Kenyan, getting an ID is a human right thing. Huwezi kuwa Mkenya na ukuwe ati hauna ID. But nikisikia mambo ya vetting, I feel like we are losing the point. Any Kenyan does not need to be vetted because they are a Kenyan by birth,” he shared.

The MP then went on to lament that the introduction of fees for an ID card is a clear indication that the country is heading in the wrong direction.

This, he explained, is because a staggering 40 percent of Kenyans live below a dollar a day, beneath the poverty line, and argued that such moves by the government are not only wrong but also indicative of poor counsel surrounding the president.

“The real issue is us charging pesa, almost a thousand shillings, for somebody to get an ID. First of all, we are not supposed to charge anybody to get an ID card that is required in everything you do in this country. The fact is over 40 percent live below the poverty line, so they live below a dollar a day, and then you tell that someone to get a thousand Ksh for his son, who needs to go to a TVET,” he said.

The MP also hurled further shade at the president, saying he should not be talking about vetting when he hasn’t resolved the ID issues and the fact that he can’t see that it’s wrong to charge for such essential services.

Government reduces ID charges

The MP’s remarks were in reference to the State Department of Immigration and Citizen Services’ abrupt move in November 2023 to hike the cost of replacing lost Identity cards (ID) to Ksh1,000 from Ksh100.

In the revised charges, first-time ID applicants were required to pay Ksh1,000 to acquire the documents that were previously issued at no cost.

The move also saw the charges for identification reports shoot up to Ksh1,000 from Ksh300, while civil servants’ cards were priced at Ksh1,000 from Ksh100.

However, the hike was met with uproar from Kenyans, with many accusing the government of unfairness. This public outcry prompted Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, then the Minister for Interior, to issue a gazette notice outlining a revision of ID card charges, which came into effect in January 2024.

Under the new regulations, the fee for acquiring a new ID was reduced from Ksh1,000 to Ksh300 after the backlash.

“The new intended charges, fees, and levies have been adjusted to accommodate views of the public already received following the publication of the revoked gazette notices,” Kindiki said at the time.

The CS assured that the government would cushion poor Kenyans who intend to acquire IDs for the first time.

“On the particular issue of the acquisition of national identity cards by previously not registered citizens, the government shall defray the costs of the revised charges, fees, and levies through a waiver for indigent Kenyans who demonstrate an inability to pay,” Kindiki noted.

“The intended revised charges, fees, and levies are informed by the need for Kenya’s self-reliance in financing the national budget, to wean the country from unsustainable debt that poses grave threats to our sovereignty and the dignity of future generations,” he added.