State gazettes scrapping of Sh300 ID application fee
Ruto’s directive came days after he also removed the vetting requirement for ID applicants in the Northeastern region, a process that had been criticized as discriminatory.
Kenyans will now get national identity cards for free after the government scrapped the Sh300 application fee, following a directive by President William Ruto.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen made the changes official in a Gazette notice dated Wednesday, March 19, amending the Registration of Persons Act to eliminate the charge for acquiring the crucial document.
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The decision follows Ruto’s announcement last week in Kibra, where he declared that ID cards would now be issued at no cost.
“I want to announce here in Kibra today that IDs will now be issued free of charge,” Ruto stated.
This move reverses a fee increase that had raised the cost of obtaining an ID for first-time applicants from Sh100 to Sh300 earlier in 2024.
The government had previously defended the increase, arguing it was necessary to cover administrative costs.
However, widespread public outcry pushed for its removal, with many Kenyans—especially 18-year-olds—struggling to afford the fee.
Pressure
The opposition had also pressured the government to abolish the charges, arguing they were a barrier for citizens seeking the vital document.
Ruto’s directive came days after he also removed the vetting requirement for ID applicants in the Northeastern region, a process that had been criticized as discriminatory.
Last month, he ordered that residents in the region be issued IDs without undergoing the previously mandatory vetting process.
The scrapped ID fee had been introduced by former Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, who now serves as Deputy President.
In January 2024, Kindiki gazetted new charges, initially proposing a Sh1,000 fee for new ID cards before lowering it to Sh300 following public backlash.
At the time, Kindiki had assured that the government would cover the cost for Kenyans who could not afford it.
“The revised charges, fees, and levies were adjusted based on public feedback received after the initial gazette notice,” he said.
With the latest policy change, all Kenyans aged 18 and above will now be able to acquire national IDs at no cost.
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