Garissa activists protest delays in national ID card issuance

Human rights activists and residents in Garissa are protesting prolonged delays in the issuance of national identity cards. While the abolition of a mandatory vetting process by President William Ruto in February 2024 was welcomed as a step toward correcting historical injustices, officials and rights defenders report that applicants are still waiting six to seven months for their documents.

During a procession organized by the NGO Haki Na Sheria to mark the International Day of Identity, program manager Barre Aden highlighted that limited access to registration and collection centers remains a critical obstacle. Currently, only Garissa and Ijara have fully functional registration offices. Activists emphasized that these delays particularly impact young people who require identity documents to register as voters for upcoming elections.

Assistant County Commissioner Mohamed Mohamud noted a significant increase in demand following the end of the vetting requirement. He stated that live-capture registration units have been deployed across all sub-counties to improve service access and disclosed that 4,110 identity cards remain uncollected at the Garissa Huduma Centre.