President William Ruto has ordered the free issuance of National Identification (ID) cards to all Kenyans aged 18 and above, reversing a previously gazetted fee hike that had raised the cost for first-time applicants from Ksh100 to Ksh300 in 2024.
Speaking at Ayany in Kibra on Thursday, during the final day of his four-day working tour of Nairobi County, Ruto directed all government registration agencies to implement the directive immediately. He emphasized that no Kenyan should be denied an ID card or required to pay for it.
“I want to announce here in Kibra today that IDs will now be issued free of charge,” Ruto declared.
He also ordered an end to any form of discriminatory questioning based on applicants’ backgrounds.
“I have said that matters of ID be issued without any discrimination. Every citizen should be given an ID card without discrimination,” Ruto asserted.
The president’s directive came after Kibra MP Mwalimu Peter Orero appealed to him during the rally, highlighting the plight of thousands of Nubian community members who had struggled to obtain ID cards due to stringent requirements.
Orero urged Ruto to formalize the directive through a gazette notice, similar to an earlier order for ID applications in the North Eastern region.
Last month, Ruto also disbanded ID vetting committees in 22 counties along national borders, aiming to eliminate years of discrimination, corruption, and delays in the registration process.
