Over 400,000 Turkana residents to benefit from new mobile ID initiative
Peter Gitonga-KNA
The Government has rolled out new mobile identity cards registration unit to ease the process of the provision of national IDS.
Speaking in Lodwar, Turkana County during a Jukwaa la Usalama forum, Interior CS Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen said the new technology will help the over 400,000 people in the county who do not have IDs despite having attained the requisite age.
According to the CS, applicants will now be able to get their cards after three to seven days after application.
"The devices will be taken to the far-flung areas to ensure every person who qualifies for the cards receive them so that they can participate in the development of the country," Murkomen said.
Denying deserving residents the issuance of the identity cards amounts to discrimination, the CS said, dismissing allegations that the move aims to shore up support for the government ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The promised to review the curfew hours affecting parts of Turkana South.
He was responding to concerns from the residents who claimed that the curfew had negatively affected their businesses.
The government declared a 6.00 pm to 6.00 am curfew as part of the operation ‘maliza uhalifu’ to restore security in parts of Kerio Valley.
"We are businesses men and our perishable goods like vegetables normally go to waste as a result of the curfew. We are asking the government to consider lifting the curfew now that we have security along the Kainu-Lodwar Road," Mohammed Ali said.
The CS said the curfew might be extended to 10.00 pm to 4.00am. The review will be done within three months, he said.
He, however, noted that the curfew has helped arrest cases of highway banditry.
The CS said the government is committed to addressing insecurity in Todonyang and Napeitom areas of Turkana North and East respectively.
He said a multi-agency security team would be deployed in Todonyang to protect the residents against external aggression.
He said the government has commenced reconstruction of schools that had been burnt down by bandits and that the remaining ones would be completed soon.