Residents of Elgeyo Marakwet County are facing delays of up to two months in obtaining national identity cards, despite government efforts to improve registration services through digital systems and biometric technology.
Members of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security raised the concerns during a meeting with officers from the National Registration Bureau (NRB) and the Civil Registration Department in Iten.
In a statement issued by the Parliament of Kenya on October 4, the committee said it was assessing the issuance of national identity cards, birth certificates and death certificates in the county.
NRB county officer Sharon Chelimo told MPs that applicants were supposed to receive their identity cards within about two weeks, but the actual waiting period had increased to between one and two months.
“It is supposed to be two weeks, but it is not doing that,” Chelimo said, attributing some of the delays to processing at the NRB headquarters in Nairobi and inadequate internet connectivity.
She said the introduction of Live Capture Units (LCUs) had improved the processing of new applications because applicants' data, photographs and supporting documents are captured electronically and transmitted to Nairobi for production.
“The IDs are now being processed faster,” she said, adding that the machines were being used alongside the manual system.
The delays come as Kenya continues to digitise identity and civil registration services. The government has been developing the Maisha Namba ecosystem, which is intended to provide a lifelong registration number beginning at birth and linking an individual's identity to services such as education, health and taxation.
The Civil Registration Services department says birth and death registration is compulsory and immediate, while birth registration establishes an individual's legal identity and supports access to essential public services.
The department allows birth certificate applications through eCitizen, including registration within six months of birth and separate procedures for late registration.
However, officers told the committee that shortages of money, personnel and equipment were undermining access to these services in Elgeyo Marakwet.
Chelimo maintained that some sub-counties received as little as Sh10,000 for fuel for an entire quarter. She added that officers were sometimes forced to use their own money to purchase stationery and other basic supplies.
Transport was another major concern, particularly in remote and mountainous parts of the county.
Chelimo stressed that the county had no functional vehicle, with one vehicle written off and others in poor condition. She asked the government to consider retaining vehicles deployed during registration campaigns to support routine operations.
Elgeyo Marakwet County Civil Registration Officer Dave Kimutai similarly cited inadequate transport and operational funding as major obstacles. He called for continuous training of registration officers, improved ICT equipment, stronger internet connectivity and digitisation of records.
The committee also questioned the distribution of registration personnel, with MPs arguing that staffing should reflect workload and population instead of being concentrated at county headquarters.
Elgeyo Marakwet Woman Representative Caroline Jeptoo Ngelechei called for additional officers in Kerio Valley and Marakwet West.
“Before we leave here, we ensure that we talk to them so that you can distribute your staff here,” she said.
The committee was also told that some residents in remote areas spend up to Sh2,000 travelling to registration offices.
Keiyo South Civil Registration Officer Dorcas Lodiaka proposed regular registration drives to take services closer to communities, allowing officers to collect applications, process documents and return them to applicants.
The department's online system currently supports applications for birth and death certificates and other civil registration services, while Huduma Kenya lists initial and duplicate ID issuance among services offered through its network of centres.
The committee also heard that some rejected ID applications were returned without clear reasons, making it difficult for local officers to advise applicants on how to correct errors.
Kerio Valley National Registration Officer Matthew Kibowen said officers routinely forwarded applications to headquarters but received fewer cards because some applications were rejected.
The committee directed that the issue be followed up with the Nairobi office so that rejected applications are clearly marked and reasons communicated to local registration officers.
Officers further raised concerns over cramped offices, inadequate sanitation facilities and staffing shortages.
They recommended increased operational funding, improved transport, continuous staff training, better ICT infrastructure, digitisation and preservation of records, adequate staffing and improved office facilities.
The committee would consider the concerns in its report, with MPs stressing the need for equitable distribution of personnel and resources to improve access to civil registration and identity services, particularly for residents in remote parts of Elgeyo Marakwet.
The concerns highlight the gap that can emerge between Kenya's push to digitise public services and the infrastructure and resources available to deliver those services at the local level.
Kenya's Huduma network currently has 61 centres and provides access to services including national ID applications, registration of persons and civil registration services.