By Abdimalik Hajir - Reporter
Kenya, 22 July 2026 - Garissa County leaders have intensified efforts to register more residents for national identity cards and voter registration as part of a campaign to boost the county's voter turnout and participation ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking after a high level meeting at Garissa County headquarters, Garissa County Governor revealed that in Garissa at least 328,0000 who have IDs have not registered as voters.
The Governor revealed that they have formed a task force bringing together the County and National Governments to address persistently low registration numbers and boost civic participation.
The initiative was agreed upon during a high-level planning meeting attended by Garissa Governor Nathif Jama, County Commissioner John Cheruiyot, Deputy County Commissioners, chiefs, sub-county administrators, officers from the National Registration Bureau, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), and other stakeholders.
The campaign comes months after the government abolished the controversial vetting process that for decades subjected applicants from North Eastern Kenya to additional scrutiny before they could be issued with national identity cards.
Unlike other Kenyans, applicants from the region were required to produce extensive family documentation and undergo lengthy verification processes, a practice widely criticised as discriminatory.
Despite the policy change, leaders say registration numbers remain disappointingly low.
Governor Nathif Jama expressed concern that many eligible residents have yet to apply for national identity cards, while thousands whose IDs have already been processed have failed to collect them.
The meeting, he said, was convened to identify and address the bottlenecks hindering registration and voter enrolment across the county.
"The northern region, comprising Isiolo, Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir and Garissa counties, is performing extremely poorly in both national ID registration and voter registration. The discriminatory vetting process was abolished, yet people are still not registering for IDs. Those who have IDs are not registering as voters, and even those who are registered often do not turn up to vote," Jama said.
Under the new initiative, registration teams will conduct specially organised public barazas, outreach programmes in secondary schools and mobile registration drives to ensure eligible residents can easily access both ID and voter registration services.
While welcoming President William Ruto's decision to abolish the extra vetting requirements for ID applicants from North Eastern Kenya, Governor Jama urged residents to fully embrace the opportunity, saying the move had removed one of the biggest barriers to accessing government services and exercising constitutional rights.
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"We used to talk about marginalisation, but now there is no excuse. Today, we are marginalising ourselves. We have been given the same opportunity as every other Kenyan to acquire an ID card, register as voters and access government services, but many of us are not taking advantage of it," he said.
The governor announced that the County Government would provide logistical support to registration teams operating in remote areas while intensifying public awareness campaigns to encourage residents to collect unclaimed identity cards and register as voters.
"A national identity card is the gateway to government services, economic opportunities and full participation in our democracy. I urge every eligible resident to apply for an ID, collect any unclaimed card and register as a voter. No one should be left behind," Jama said.
County Commissioner John Cheruiyot reaffirmed the National Government Administration Officers' (NGAO) commitment to supporting grassroots registration efforts, describing the national identity card as an essential document for every Kenyan.
He directed chiefs and their assistants to use public barazas and other community forums to sensitise residents on the importance of acquiring national identity cards.
"As NGAO officials, we have been working closely with the Registrar of Persons to ensure our people obtain national identity cards. The ID is a vital document that enables citizens to access government services, register for the Social Health Authority (SHA) and many other essential services," Cheruiyot said.
He added that the administration would ensure registration services reach residents wherever they are.
"As NGAO officers, together with all stakeholders and leaders, we will go out of our way to ensure our people get IDs because it is their constitutional right. We will facilitate registration at the location and sub-location levels so that no eligible resident is left behind," he said.
Officials revealed that Garissa County currently has about 328,000 national identity card holders who are yet to register as voters, highlighting the significant gap between ID ownership and electoral participation.
They also disclosed that 4,312 processed national identity cards remain uncollected at the Garissa Huduma Centre, further underscoring the need for intensified public awareness and mobilisation.
Leaders expressed optimism that the joint registration campaign will significantly increase the number of residents with national identity cards, improve voter registration and strengthen civic participation ahead of future elections.