Kalonzo Musyoka Claims Kenyan IDs Are Being “Sold” to Foreign Nationals at DRC Border Ahead of 2027 Polls
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has sparked fresh controversy after alleging that Kenyan national identity cards are being illegally issued to foreign nationals from Somalia through a cross-border scheme operating near the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia.
Speaking during an interview on Monday, May 11, the former Vice President linked the claims to rising insecurity and deadly communal clashes in Kitui County, warning that political actors could be exploiting migration and identity registration ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Kalonzo claimed that unnamed individuals within government offices responsible for issuing identification documents were allegedly facilitating the acquisition of Kenyan IDs by non-citizens for large sums of money.
“As we approach the elections, there is a group of leaders trying to bring others from Somalia,” Kalonzo alleged.
“Yesterday, a Kenyan in Ndola called me and said that the Ministry of Interior, specifically the offices that issue IDs, is allowing Somalis from Somalia — not Somali Kenyans — to buy Kenyan IDs at the border between DRC and Ndola in Zambia,” he claimed.
According to the Wiper leader, the whistleblower alleged that Somali nationals entering the region as truck drivers or through informal routes were paying an initial deposit of approximately KSh77,000 before allegedly receiving Kenyan IDs within three weeks.
Kalonzo further claimed that an additional payment was allegedly made after the documents were processed, before some individuals proceeded to apply for Kenyan passports.
The remarks come barely two months after concerns emerged over reports that Kenyan passports may have been issued to foreign nationals allegedly linked to Sudan’s paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
On March 16, Immigration Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang dismissed the allegations, insisting that Kenyan passports are only issued after strict verification procedures.
“The arbitrary issuance of passports to foreign nationals exposes the country to national security threats,” Kalonzo said.
“Such practices undermine the credibility of the Kenyan passport.”
The former Vice President, however, emphasised that his criticism was not directed at Kenyan citizens of Somali origin, saying they were fully entitled to identification documents like all other Kenyans.
“It is important to distinguish Somali Kenyans. If they want IDs, they are entitled to them, as Kenya is their country,” he stated.
Kalonzo’s remarks were made in the context of ongoing tensions in Tseikuru, Kitui County, where violent clashes between herders and local farmers have left several people dead and property destroyed.
According to the Wiper leader, the unrest escalated after the killing of a 14-year-old child triggered retaliatory attacks, looting and further violence that reportedly claimed at least seven lives.
He said he had since engaged Somali community elders in efforts to calm tensions and prevent political leaders from fuelling ethnic hostility ahead of the next election cycle.
The allegations are likely to intensify debate over immigration controls, national identification systems and border security as political temperatures gradually rise ahead of 2027.
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