Gov't launches Maisha ID Card distribution for KCSE candidates

The government, through the Ministries of Interior and Education, has officially begun distributing Maisha Card IDs to Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates.

Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Julius Bitok launched the initiative at Ngomeni Secondary School in Kilifi County on Thursday, targeting over 900,000 Form Four students.

Bitok explained that issuing Maisha cards to the candidates currently sitting for their final KCSE exams aims to alleviate the challenges they often face during admissions to tertiary institutions.

“We have had unfortunate situations where students joining universities and colleges are frustrated by lack of IDs which are a requirement for admissions and other processes. We want to end this by ensuring those who are eligible exit high school with IDs.”

Bitok further noted that the exercise is designed to leverage existing school records, ensuring that only eligible citizens receive Kenyan IDs.

Applicants will also benefit from an expedited process, with ID cards being delivered within seven days, thanks to the live capture of biometric data.

“We’re working closely with school heads, who already have the necessary student data. This allows us to make the live capture process seamless and efficient, ensuring that IDs are issued without delay and with maximum accuracy," said the PS.

The launch follows concerns raised over frustrations faced by students without IDs with the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) and Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).

Last month, Members of Parliament, through the Education Committee of the National Assembly, summoned the Principal Secretary and urged him to find a permanent solution to the issue.

PS Bitok subsequently appealed to Kenyans to collect over 400,000 uncollected IDs currently held at Huduma Centers and the National Registration Bureau across the country.

Additionally, Bitok also presided over the opening of an office for births and deaths certificates in Magarini constituency.

The office located in Kongoni is intended to ease the pressure on the Civil Registration Services office in Malindi town and make it easier for residents to obtain the documents.