Ruto Orders Removal Of Charges On IDs
This marks a shift from the previous government directive, which required citizens to pay Ksh 300 for new applications and Ksh 1,000 for renewals.

President William Ruto has declared that Kenyans will now obtain national identification documents (IDs) free of charge.
This marks a shift from the previous government directive, which required citizens to pay Ksh 300 for new applications and Ksh 1,000 for renewals.
"I had said that matters of being discriminated in terms of issuing IDs should be done away with. Every citizen should be given an ID card," Ruto asserted.
Ruto issued the directive in response to an appeal made during the rally by Kibra Member of Parliament Mwalimu Peter Orero. The MP urged the President to address the challenges faced by thousands of Nubian community members who had been unable to obtain identification documents due to stringent requirements.
Orero requested Ruto to not only issue the directive but also ensure its formal gazettement, similar to a previous order on ID applications in the porous North Eastern region.
However, the announcement is expected to spark mixed reactions from the public and leaders, some of whom have previously criticized Ruto's 'roadside policy declarations.'
The cost of obtaining ID cards has long been a contentious issue, with Kenyans voicing concerns over government-imposed fees for applications and renewals.
Political figures, including People's Liberation Party of Kenya leader Martha Karua, have condemned the charges, arguing that they were a deliberate attempt to prevent unemployed youth from voting in the 2027 elections.
In May 2024, then-Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki formalized the revised fees, requiring Kenyans to pay Ksh 300 for new applications and Ksh 1,000 for renewals.