President William Ruto has moved to reassure Kenyans that foreigners will not be issued national identity cards, despite recent changes that removed the controversial vetting process for residents of Northern Kenya and other border regions.
Speaking during the 2026 Madaraka Day celebrations in Wajir County on Monday, the President addressed growing concerns that the reforms introduced in February 2025 could open the door for non-citizens to acquire Kenyan identification documents.
Ruto defended the presidential declaration he signed in Wajir last year, saying it was intended to end decades of discrimination and bureaucratic barriers that had made it difficult for many Kenyan citizens in Northern Kenya to obtain identity cards and birth certificates.
“In February, I signed the presidential declaration regarding registration and issuance of IDs and birth certificates in Northern Kenya and other counties, putting an end to the discriminatory system,” President Ruto said.
Ruto assured Kenyans that the decision he made was not an invitation for foreigners to get Kenyan documents in a bid to get into the country illegally
“But let me be direct on what that declaration was not. It was not an invitation for foreigners to acquire Kenyan documents illegally; Kenyan identity cards will only be issued to legitimate citizens of this republic,” he stated.
Ruto further clarified that while the government had removed what he termed discriminatory vetting practices, it had not done away with the process of verifying citizenship.
According to the President, the previous system unfairly targeted some communities based on their ethnicity and place of birth, making it difficult for eligible citizens to access essential registration documents.
“We did not abolish citizenship verification. We abolished discrimination, the targeting of an entire community simply because of their ethnicity and place of birth,” he said.
The President’s remarks come amid heightened public debate over the implementation of the directive, particularly in border counties where concerns have been raised about the possibility of non-citizens obtaining Kenyan documents and accessing government services.
The issue gained attention in May when residents in Busia claimed that Ugandans had been accessing services using Kenyan identity cards issued to them in Kenya. The discovery raised questions on the validity of the country’s identification system just before the 2027 General Election, which is only 15 months away.
Immigration Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang had earlier blamed this kind of problems on the porous borders of Kenya with Uganda and Tanzania as well as the marriages that exist between people on both sides of the borders.
He called on the chiefs and other local authorities to make sure that members of cross-border couples who meet the eligibility criteria do not lack their documents. However, he reiterated that Kenyan identity cards are available to Kenyan citizens alone.
According to the government, the changes will ensure that all those eligible have equal opportunity in accessing identification services.
