Kenyans face extended waits for ID cards as High Court halts Maisha Namba printing

Thousands of Kenyans will now face longer delays in accessing identification cards after the High Court once again halted the printing of third-generation ID cards.

In a spot check by Citizen TV across various counties, Kenyans flocked to Huduma Centre offices seeking guidance on the way forward, as it emerged that young people are missing out on crucial government services.

Anxiety has now mounted among the youth due to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the legality of the Maisha Namba.

At the Huduma Centre office in Kisii, hundreds of young people turned up seeking identification cards, some visibly weary after months of waiting for the all-important document.

This scenario is replicated in many Huduma Centres around the country.

In Nyeri, some parents have opted to accompany their children, who are now locked out of accessing loans for higher learning, putting their academic futures in limbo.

"I am devastated because I don't know if I will qualify for HELB loans because I don't have an ID; I can't even pay school fees. I haven't gotten the crucial document since applying for it on January 29," Brian Mwende, a Nyeri resident, told Citizen TV.

"I accompanied my son but I'm not sure if he will get the document. If he doesn't receive his ID, I think he should be allowed to use his waiting card to apply for HELB loans," Charles Omwenga, a Kisii resident, added.

The queues might only get longer as the High Court has once again halted the printing of the third-generation ID cards, popularly known as Maisha Namba.

This follows a case filed by a lobby group from Garissa, which argued that the government had failed, among other things, to prove the safety of the data being collected.

This is the second time the printing has encountered obstacles, with a similar order issued in December 2023 and lifted in February this year. The ongoing back-and-forth now leaves thousands of Kenyans without identification cards.

"They told me to come back after two weeks when I first went to inquire about the ID. When I returned they told me to wait for another four weeks. Now they are citing the Maisha card printing delays," Bismarck Okemwa, another Kisii resident, said.

The government halted the printing of the second-generation ID cards in November 2023 with Immigration PS Julius Bitok indicating that the National Registration Bureau had acquired a modern printer to process the third-generation cards that feature a microchip.

They will be renewed after every ten years.