Gov’t says over 1,000 national identity cards destroyed during Nyandarua protests

The government has condemned the destruction of key national registration infrastructure in Nyandarua County during the violent protests that broke out on Wednesday, June 25.

Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Dr. Belio Kipsang on Friday said more than 1,000 national identity cards were destroyed when protestors attacked the National Registration Bureau (NRB) office located within the Deputy County Commissioner’s compound in Ol Kalou.

He described the incident as a direct assault on the nation's identity systems.

"The unrest led to the destruction of over 1,000 national identity cards, two live capture biometric kits, among other essential government equipment, resulting in the disruption of key government services," said Dr. Kipsang.

"Attacking the NRB office is attacking the soul of a nation. These facilities anchor the identity, rights, and inclusion of our citizens. Their destruction undermines the ability of the government to serve and protect its people."

The PS announced that emergency mobile registration units would be deployed in the area to help affected residents replace their lost identification cards.

He also urged those affected to follow the due legal process during reissuance to ensure proper validation and maintain the integrity of the country’s identity systems.

“While physical infrastructure has been damaged, the government has put in place safeguards to ensure that citizen data is protected and recoverable,” he assured.

Dr. Kipsang, who was accompanied by the Secretary to the National Registration Bureau, Dr. Christopher Wanjau, likewise reiterated the government's respect for the right to peaceful protest but warned against the destruction of public infrastructure.

“The destruction of public property undermines national progress and weakens institutional trust,” he said, calling on the youth, especially the Gen Z generation, to pursue peaceful and structured avenues of engagement.

According to the county government, the vehicles were parked at the Olkalou sub-county offices. Five of the 16 were grounded in the incident, which also saw 18 county government motorbikes burnt.