NAIROBI, Kenya – President William Ruto has announced that all Kenyans will now receive national identity (ID) cards free of charge, eliminating the previously required Ksh.300 application fee.
Speaking during a visit to Kibra, Nairobi, on Thursday, Ruto also vowed to dismantle bureaucratic hurdles and discrimination in the ID registration process.
“Nimesema maneno ya ubaguzi kwa mambo ya ID tuyatupilie mbali; kila mwananchi apatiwe ID… bila malipo yoyote,” he said, emphasizing that all Kenyans should access the crucial document without financial or procedural barriers.
The move comes after months of uncertainty over ID application fees.
The government had initially proposed raising first-time application charges to Ksh.1,000 and replacements to Ksh.2,000.
However, following public outcry, the fees were revised down to Ksh.300 and Ksh.1,000, respectively, before Ruto’s latest directive scrapped them altogether.
President William Ruto has directed free National ID issuance for Kenyans aged 18 and above, reversing a previous fee increase. The directive removes application and renewal charges (Kshs 300 and Kshs 1000 respectively) to improve accessibility. Last month, the President also…
The president’s announcement aligns with his recent decision to abolish the decades-old vetting process for ID applicants in border counties.
While signing the Presidential Proclamation on Registration and Issuance of IDs in Wajir last month, Ruto declared an end to the controversial vetting, which had long been criticized for discriminating against certain communities.
“Leo nimesema hiyo vetting imekwisha; hakuna kuendelea kuonea watu wengine,” he stated at the time.
The removal of ID fees is expected to ease access to identification, especially for young Kenyans and marginalized groups who have long faced challenges in obtaining the document.