Kenyans To Receive National Identity Cards Automatically Upon Turning 18 – Cabinet Secretary Murkomen

By Lisbeth Micheni, Kenya 

Kenyans will soon be issued national identity cards (IDs) automatically upon reaching the age of 18, based on birth records, Interior Cabinet Secretary(CS) Kipchumba Murkomen has announced.

Speaking at Lake Naivasha Simba Lodge on Saturday , Murkomen assured that the new process would be seamless while maintaining national security measures.

The CS highlighted that this initiative follows President William Ruto’s recent decision to eliminate the ID vetting system in border counties.

He explained that the move is intended to address security concerns by leveraging data collected from birth to ensure accurate identification.

Murkomen emphasized that the government remains committed to national security and equal rights for all citizens.

He reassured those skeptical about the removal of vetting that security protocols would be upheld.

“The removal of additional vetting does not compromise our security. Instead, we will now rely on existing data from various sectors, including education and family records, to verify identity,” he stated.

He further clarified that vetting was not exclusive to Northern Kenya or the Kenya-Somalia border but applied to all border areas nationwide.

“This policy extends from Lunga Lunga at the Tanzania border to Turkana at the South Sudan and Uganda borders, as well as to Ethiopia and Somalia,” he added.

Earlier this month, President Ruto signed a directive scrapping a 60-year-old vetting requirement for residents of border regions seeking IDs.

The move, which some critics view as a strategic effort to consolidate support in these areas ahead of the 2027 elections, came shortly after the High Court in Garissa ordered a fresh census for three northeastern counties.

Speaking on the policy change, President Ruto declared, “Vetting is now a thing of the past. This decades-old discrimination must end.”

The ID vetting requirement had been in place since the 1960s due to the Shifta War, a secessionist conflict in which some ethnic groups sought to join Somalia.

Critics argue that the decision is politically motivated to strengthen Ruto’s influence in traditionally opposition-leaning areas.

However, Murkomen insists that the policy is aimed at fostering equality and ensuring a fair system for all Kenyans.