Rethink move to abolish ID vetting

The move by President William Ruto to abolish the screening policy in the issuance of identification cards (IDs) to Kenyans of Somali origin has sparked a heated debate in the country.

While on a recent tour of the North Eastern region, Dr Ruto made the unprecedented policy announcement of abolishing the vetting rule in issuance of IDs to Somalis for what he termed as the end of segregation of a section of Kenyans and ensuring every citizen is given an equal opportunity in getting government services.

By signing the Presidential Proclamation on Registration and Issuance of IDs to Border Counties at Orahey grounds in Wajir Town, the President gave the people of North Eastern region a much-needed reprieve.

This move has been hailed as a step meant to halt an age-old policy that has been termed as a discriminatory to the Somali. The policy required the Somali to be subjected to a rigorous vetting process before being issued with the vital document. Consequently, scores of the Somali found it an uphill task to acquire the document hence hindering scores of them from accessing government services.

Last week, while supporting the President’s move, former Mandera senator Billow Kerrow narrated on these pages his ordeal in the hands of immigration officials when he went to correct what he termed as a basic error in his ID. He also revealed how his children struggled to get ID cards.

ID vetting

A 2007 report by the Kenya National Human Rights Commission detailed how the ID vetting was disadvantaging the people of northeastern region. The report, dubbed “An Identity Crisis? Study on the Issuance of National Identification Cards in Kenya”, revealed that during the vetting, the Somali were required to produce many other extra documents not provided for by law, including title deeds, screening cards, grandparents’ IDs among others. The report further revealed there were long delays in issuing the IDs to those who pass the vetting process and an intricate web of corruption surrounding the process.

The screening policy has a historical background. It became a security requirement for issuing IDs and birth certificates in Northern Kenya after the Shifta insurgency of the 1960s. The Shifta war was a secessionist conflict in which ethnic Somalis, Muslim Borana, among others, attempted to join Somalia.

The policy would later be used as a safeguard against security threats to the country in the wake of the Al-Shabaab attacks. This is after it was discovered by Kenya’s intelligence system that members of the ragtag terrorist group, which has its origin in Somalia, could freely cross the porous Kenya-Somalia border, casually integrate with other Kenyans and plan their terrorist activities while in the country. Some of the members of the terrorist group were said to have registered as Kenyans. The policy was meant to curb this infiltration of the terrorist elements into the country.

However, with the abolishment of this policy, the Somali are expected to acquire the crucial document hassle free. Much as this is a welcome move in addressing the alleged profiling of the Somali in the country, the President should have had it well-thought out lest it inadvertently pose a pernicious effect on national security. It is highly likely that the bad guys might use it as a loophole to get into the country and plan their nefarious activities and see a return of terrorist activities that have been, to a great extent, curtailed in the country.

The question that lingers on is how will the government differentiate between the legitimate Kenyans of Somali origin born in say Garissa, Wajir or Mandera from non-Kenyans from Somalia who share the same clans, language, religion and physiological traits with their Kenyan counterparts?

It is imperative for the government ensure there is a healthy balance between promoting inclusivity and ensuring the nation’s security is not compromised.

Counterproductive    

Indeed, this move might appear beneficial in the short term, but counterproductive in the long run. Moreover, it was not lost on many that the President’s move was laced with heavy political undertones.

Dr Ruto made the announcement on his tour of the region in a veiled attempt to politically woo the region to his side in the run-up to the 2027 elections. This was made apparent by sentiments attributed to local leaders who accompanied the President during the tour.

The timing of the move also raises eyebrows. The High Court in Garissa recently quashed 2019 census results for Wajir, Mandera and Garissa counties and ordered a fresh exercise due to discrepancies in the 2019 census results.

According to data from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, 882, 000 voters from Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Isiolo and Marsabit counties participated in presidential elections in 2022. However, residents of the area complain that many eligible voters have consistently been locked out of elections due to lack of IDs. With the abolishment of the screening policy, the number of voters could go up significantly hence the political interest the issue attracts.

The government should reconsider the move and explore other ways of ensuring equity and inclusion of all Kenyans.

The writer is a high school teacher. [email protected]