National IDs printing backlog cleared- ministry

Kenya Kwanza's Maisha Namba is bound to suffer the same fate as Jubilee's Huduma Namba. [File, Standard]

National Identification Cards (ID) applicants can now go and collect their documents at select centres across the country. 

Immigration Services Principal Secretary Julius Bitok noted the National Registration Bureau (NRB) has cleared the backlog on all ID cards. 

Bitok announced that the ministry has successfully printed all pending ID cards and is now processing new applications as they are received.

The ministry has also introduced a 24-hour service dedicated to the processing and production of IDs, increasing the daily printing capacity to 32,000 documents.

But despite the efforts, over 50,000 printed ID cards remain uncollected at Nairobi registration offices as of yesterday, with a total of 476,167 uncollected nationwide.

"By close of business on August 26; 476,167 printed National ID cards were lying uncollected in registration offices and Huduma Centres across the country," Bitok stated.

Nairobi County has the highest number of uncollected ID cards, with 55,327, followed by Kiambu (37,708) and Nakuru (28,581) IDs. 

Other counties with a significant number of uncollected IDs include Kisumu (18,529), Mombasa (17,140), Kisii (15,842), Murang’a (13,627), Uasin Gishu (13,155), Kajiado (12,533), and Bungoma (12,053).

Applicants who have yet to collect their ID cards have been urged to visit the respective station where they submitted their application and collect their documents.