State starts public participation for new IDs

Immigration PS Julius Bitok (centre). [File, Standard]

The government is rolling out a plan to educate Kenyans on the new generation national identity cards.

Principal Secretary Ministry of Immigration Julius Bitok urged Regional and County Commissioners to set out an elaborate plan to reach out to Kenyans.

“The plan for today is about extensive public participation across the country. We have called on all our regional commissioners our county commissioners to help us to roll out public participation across the country,” said Bitok.

Bitok was speaking at the Kenya School of Government on Friday during a briefing with Regional and County Commissioners.

The briefing for regional and county commissioners was to discuss the regulations on Amendment rules 2024 that will streamline Maisha namba and support ecosystem.

Bitok called on regional and county commissioners to create a strategy that will help in reaching members from different counties to sensitize them on Maisha cards.

During the meeting, the regional officials requested to be given the 476,000 uncollected Maisha cards to distribute their respective members.

Bitok said that there are some 1.6 million Maisha cards already generated.

He said that the cost of one card is Sh700. However, he said the cost has been subsidised to Sh300.

In case one loses their card, Bitok said they will pay Sh1000 fine for replacement.

 “Maisha card is the Third Generation Identification Number, which carries Maisha Namba. When people turn 18 years now they are issued with maisha card which has a chip and modern features maisha,” said Bitok.

Bitok said that maisha integrated database will help the government to monitor the data of all immigrants, refugees because their data will be integrated to their government.