Kenya’s ministry of education in collaboration with the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services and the National Registration Bureau (NRB), has launched a mobile national identity (ID) card registration drive targeting eligible secondary school students in Kisumu County.

The exercise is billed as critical in avoiding the scramble for the vital witnessed in the run up elections. The ID is mandatory in the electoral process as it is required for registration of voters and on polling day.

Kisumu Central Sub-County Registrar of Persons Robina Orute announced the rollout of the exercise that targets all secondary schools in the county as the government moves to hasten the issuance of the crucial document.

The first phase of the initiative, he said will run from June 4 to June 26, 2025, with a second round expected to follow in July and August.

To make the exercise a success, the National Registration Bureau has conducted consultative meetings with principals from various secondary schools and tertiary institutions in the area to align the exercise with institution’s schedules.

“Flexibility is a crucial factor in enhancing the success of this programme. Some students will be registered over weekends to avoid disrupting normal school activities,” said Orute. 

The registrar said through the engagement with principals, parents have also been sensitised to avail the necessary documents to facilitate the registration.

She wants parent to be involved in the process, particularly for boarding school students who may face challenges accessing copies of their parents’ identity cards.

“Parental documents are essential as they help establish a student’s identity beyond doubt,” she noted.

Shortage of vehicles for transporting registration officials and materials between institutions, she said was the biggest challenge that is expected to slow down the process, potentially extending the registration period beyond the planned schedule.

Another key challenge, she said, was the unpreparedness of some students, many of whom may lack the necessary documents by the registration date, leading to partial or delayed processing.

Furthermore, she said, integrating the registration exercise into pre-existing academic calendars poses difficulties adding that schools may be forced to reschedule or cancel planned activities to accommodate the national initiative.

She called on all stakeholders to support the initiative, which she said will significantly boost access to national identity cards among youth in area.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Ogada Kenedy