Belio: No IDs, passports to foreigners

‎Immigration and Citizen Services PS  Belio Kipsang before the Administration and Internal Security Committee at Parliament Buildings, Nairobi. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Immigration Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang has dismissed claims that foreigners are being issued national identity cards, saying it is against the law.

Amid claims that foreigners have been issued  with National identity cards, Kipsang explained that the country’s national identification system has three categories that the Immigration Department is guided by: foreign, refugee, and Kenyan citizens.

He said that the ID system is streamlined and issued under stringent measures, even as he projected that over 3 million will be issued by the end of this year.

“We have different types of IDs, we have alien IDs for those who are foreigners and are living in this country. They get an alien ID so that they can be able to participate in activities including getting a telephone, opening an account and things they must do as an individual. We have what we call the refugee ID, so that they are able to enjoy services that they ought to and we have our national ID issued to the Kenyan citizens,” he explained.

He made the remarks when he appeared before the National Assembly Committee on Regional Integration, chaired by Irene Mayaka to discuss efficiency in issuance and standardization of e-passports to facilitate free and non-discriminatory movement of citizens within Partner States.

“As PS responsible for issuance of identification, we issue identification to those three categories as they deserve and guided by law,” the PS insisted.

He made the remarks in response to a question raised by Kitui Central MP, Makali Mulu, who also wondered whether the region has a forum where people in charge of immigration services meet to share some of these administrative challenges.

“Because we are discussing the passport, there has been a lot of talk about foreigners  finding it very easy to access a Kenyan passport can you confirm with this committee whether that is happening and if it is not happening what mechanisms have you put in place to ensure that we don't have non-Kenyans accessing our passport as easily as it has been said?” Mulu said.

As far as passports are concerned, the PS said they are also critical identity documents issued to people who qualify while for refugees, they have the UNHCR international travel documents, on the other hand get passports as a Kenyan citizen, which is a legal process.

On the use of ID, the PS said this has been accepted by the Northern Corridor Integrated Framework, which is a coalition of the willing within the East Africa Community (EAC) accepted by Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda.

For students, he said quite a number use their IDs, including the school IDs, in crossing the borders and it is working well, even as he insisted that the country does not have any challenges on that aspect.

“As more willing partners come in, we shall extend the usage of these particular documents.  I know Tanzania is currently not a member of the corridor and I think this is an engagement that is continuously on, and we shall continue to encourage more partners to be part of the Northern corridor.

Khwisero MP, Christopher Aseka asked the PS to explain why it is taking too long to process a national ID card, saying he had a mobilization programme last December but some of those IDs are yet to be processed.

“Is it a financial issue? Is it a manpower issue? I would like you to explain to us the challenges you are facing so that we can facilitate and ensure all of our young people have IDs before the 2027 election. Again, what action are you taking to reduce the fraudsters within your department?  As I speak today, somebody has an identity card, he bears all of my names, date of birth but we differ with the parents. If somebody can process an ID card in my name, my three names, then goes to Kenya Revenue Authority and process a PIN, does it mean that you are not in control?” posed Aseka.

The PS, however, affirmed that the Government has heavily invested in technology in issuance and processing of IDs, saying the department today has 600 live capture equipment, and when they go out to the field all processes they used to do manually are now done leveraging on technology.

“We take fingerprints, we capture all the information about you in terms of your name, all the other things, any document that is required is scanned into the system into that particular live capture equipment and on the press of the button for submission. That particular information is directly routed to our printing headquarters where our officers go through some verification to confirm that the information is consistent and correct,” the PS explained. 

The PS told the committee that currently, an applicant can get an ID within 10 days and for those who are replacing in Nairobi, in case of losing it, the biometrics and other information is available and a Kenyan can just walk into the offices in the morning and get it in the evening.

“No ID should remain for more than 10 days in Nairobi,” he affirmed.

The PS also stated that there was a cessation of vetting because for a long time, Kenyans were given two standards, with some going through this process and others did not.

He also affirmed it is never possible for one person to be issued with two IDs because the departments run a system that checks through the 34 million IDs, that have been issued through biometrics.

Once the department receives biometrics and before printing, it is run through the 34 million biometrics in the system so that someone cannot get an ID twice.

“Even when we are replacing, it is known to be a replacement; it is not an issuance of a new ID.”

Between January and May, the PS said they have issued 1.5 million IDs and between January and December last, some 1.95 million were issued and the Government is projecting more than 3 million by the end of this year.

He also said that they will be moving to schools before the term ends to register about 1.1 million students who have attained the age of 18 to ensure that as they exit in November, they will have acquired IDs and can participate in democratic processes next year.

 He insisted on the strength of the Kenyan passport, the PS said it was ranked as the 68th strongest in the world, 10th most powerful and the most trusted in Africa and the best in the East African region in terms of confidence and there are 69 countries that Kenyans can go without a visa because of the strength of the passport.