Why ID Replacement Still Costs Ksh1,000 Despite President Ruto Decree
NAIROBI, Oct 29 — The Public Service Ministry has refuted reports of suspending the Ksh1,000 national identity card replacement fee, contradicting President William Ruto’s directive issued earlier this week.
Ruto on Oct. 28 announced that ID replacement charges would be waived to ensure no Kenyan is excluded from voter registration ahead of the 2027 general election.
He said the waiver aimed to remove financial barriers for citizens, noting that the Ksh1,000 fee had been introduced to prevent misuse of free government services. “We have decided to suspend the amount,” Ruto said at the time.
However, the government has yet to formalize the suspension. Huduma Kenya, the agency overseeing citizen services, said Wednesday the fee remains in effect until an official gazette notice is issued.
“At this time, the ID replacement fees have not been waived. We are awaiting official confirmation through a gazette notice,” Huduma Kenya said in a statement. It added that updates will be shared once the directive is published.
The clarification followed public concern over continued charges despite the president’s announcement.
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Why ID Replacement Still Costs Ksh1,000 Despite President Ruto Decree