Some 476,167 national ID cards are lying uncollected in the National Registration Bureau registration offices and Huduma Centres countrywide, the government has said.
Immigration and Citizen Services PS Julius Bitok says the data is as of August 26, 2024.
In an update on the status update on issuance of National ID card (Maisha Card), Bitok said the NRB has cleared the backlog of National ID card applications and has ramped up the printing capacity to 32,000 National ID cards per day to expeditiously process new requests.
He said by July 25, some 451,228 National ID card applications (130,302 new and 320,926 duplicates) had been received at NRB and were in various stages of production.
The PS said an additional 108,697 National ID card applications were received between August 12 and 26, at the NRB production centre.
“In the last 14 days, the NRB has printed 505,197 National ID cards (162,856 new and 344,341 duplicates). Only 1,358 applications are currently in the routine processing queue,” Bitok said.
He revealed that the NRB has deployed more personnel and introduced a 24-hour service dedicated to the processing and production of National ID cards.
“By close of business on August 26, 2024, 476,167 printed National ID cards were lying uncollected in the NRB registration offices and Huduma Centres across the country,” he said.
The PS said Nairobi county has the highest number of uncollected ID cards (55,327) followed by Kiambu (37,708) and Nakuru (28,581).
Other counties with a high number of uncollected National ID cards are Kisumu (18,529), Mombasa (17,140), Kisii (15,842), Muranga (13,627), Uasin Gishu (13,155), Kajiado (12,533) and Bungoma (12,053).
“We urge applicants who are yet to collect their cards to visit the station where they submitted their application as soon as possible,” Bitok said.
The PDS said NRB is cognizant of the importance of National ID cards as essential identification documents and will strive to ensure all eligible applicants obtain them as promptly as possible.
He said applicants seeking information on the status of their National ID card application and other pertinent details can reach the NRB through various communication channels.
Toll-free line: 08000230007; X handle: Sajili_IDKe; Facebook: NRB Kitambulisho or Instagram: National Registration Bureau.
The High Court had on July 25, 2024, issued a conservatory order temporarily barring the government from the issuance of third-generation National ID cards, also known as Maisha Card.
The government successfully appealled the decision and the High Court set aside the conservatory order on August 12, 2024, allowing the National Registration Bureau to resume the printing of new and duplicate National ID cards.
Interior CS Kithure Kindiki said the ministry is committed to easing access to passports, IDs, birth certificates, death certificates and other critical citizenship documents.
He said they are dealing with historical backlog, eradicating corruption and streamlining procurement processes.
“We are fully digitising application and production of these documents to minimise human-to-human contact that is a recipe for graft, avail new and modern high-capacity printers and scanners to fast-track production and lessen the waiting period for applications,” the CS said.
