Kenyans who applied for the new generation of identification cards are urged by the government, via the Department of Immigration, to pick them up from their respective application centres.
On Wednesday, February 5, Principal Secretary for Immigration Julius Bitok announced that over 400,000 processed ID cards remained uncollected at different application centers nationwide.
While speaking to the media at Nyayo House in Nairobi, Bitok disclosed that the government has issued three million ID cards since it started processing the new generation of identifiers.
“We have successfully issued 3 million cards to Kenyans nationwide, but there are still many who have applied for the IDs and have yet to collect them,” Bitok stated.
Bitok underscored, “We have 400,000 IDs that have not been collected at different stations. I urge Kenyans to come and get their ID cards.”
In addition to tackling the problem of uncollected IDs, the PS pointed out that digital IDs allowed Kenyans to upload new generation identifiers online, eliminating the need to carry them physically.
Bitok disclosed that the new generation of IDs incorporates advanced security features, such as encrypted biometric data and a photo of the owner.
In 2023, the government launched digital identifiers, referred to as the Maisha card, which are assigned to individuals at birth and used for their entire life.
The Maisha card was created in response to the shortcomings of the Huduma number and aimed to resolve security and privacy concerns associated with second-generation IDs.
Kenyans have voiced ongoing dissatisfaction with its launch despite the addition of new features, with some raising concerns about the expense involved in accessing the modern ID.
