Ruto Breaks Silence on Foreigners Obtaining Kenyan IDs After Controversial Vetting Reforms
President insists only genuine citizens will receive national documents despite growing concerns over border security and election integrity
President William Ruto has for the first time directly addressed mounting claims that foreigners are obtaining Kenyan identity cards following the government’s decision to abolish long-standing vetting procedures in border counties.
Speaking during the 2026 Madaraka Day celebrations in Wajir County on Monday, June 1, the President defended a landmark declaration he signed in February 2025, insisting that the reforms were aimed at ending decades of discrimination against Kenyan citizens living in Northern Kenya and other border regions.
The directive, which significantly altered the registration process for national identity cards and birth certificates, sparked intense debate across the country, with critics warning that the changes could create loopholes for non-citizens to acquire Kenyan documentation.
Addressing the controversy, Ruto maintained that the government’s intention was to eliminate barriers faced by legitimate Kenyan citizens and not to weaken citizenship requirements.
“In February 2025, in Wajir town, I signed the presidential declaration on registration and issuance of IDs and birth certificates in Northern Kenya and other counties, ending the system of discrimination,” the President said.
He argued that for many years, residents from certain communities had been subjected to lengthy and often frustrating vetting procedures before accessing documents readily available to other Kenyans.
However, the Head of State moved swiftly to dismiss suggestions that the declaration opened the door for foreigners to acquire Kenyan documents illegally.
“But let me be direct on what that declaration was not. It was not an invitation for foreigners to acquire Kenyan documents illegally; Kenyan identity cards will only be issued to legitimate citizens of this republic,” Ruto stated.
The President further reassured Kenyans that the integrity of the country’s identification system remains intact, stressing that citizenship verification procedures had not been abolished.
“We did not abolish citizenship verification. We abolished discrimination, the targeting of an entire community simply because of their ethnicity and place of birth,” he added.
Ruto’s remarks come against the backdrop of growing public concern over reports that some foreign nationals may have gained access to Kenyan identity documents and government services.
The debate intensified in May 2026 after residents in Busia reportedly apprehended several Ugandan nationals who were allegedly accessing services in Kenya using Kenyan identification documents. The incident triggered fresh questions over the credibility of the national registration system and potential implications for the 2027 General Election, now less than 15 months away.
Security experts and political observers have increasingly warned that weaknesses in the registration process could undermine public confidence in electoral processes if not adequately addressed.
The government, however, has maintained that the issue predates the 2025 reforms.
Immigration Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang recently attributed cases involving foreigners holding Kenyan identity cards to the porous nature of Kenya’s borders, particularly those shared with Uganda and Tanzania. He also cited cross-border family ties and intermarriages among neighbouring communities as factors complicating the identification process.
Kipsang urged local administrators, chiefs and registration officials to ensure that eligible Kenyans, including those married across borders, are not unfairly denied documentation while maintaining strict adherence to citizenship requirements.
“The identity card remains a document strictly reserved for Kenyan citizens,” the Immigration PS emphasised.
As debate over the reforms continues, the government faces increasing pressure to demonstrate that efforts to eliminate discrimination can coexist with robust safeguards designed to protect national security and the integrity of Kenya’s citizenship records.
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