Nubians recognised as Kenyan ethnic group since 1978, says CS Murkomen
Murkomen noted that members of the Nubian community have been registered and issued with National Identification documents since the introduction of the first-generation ID card in 1978.
Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen on Wednesday confirmed that the Nubian community is legally recognised as a Kenyan ethnic group under national law.
Responding to a question by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna on whether there are plans to issue a citizenship code formally recognising the Nubian community, Murkomen stated that the government, through the Directorate of National Registration Bureau (NRB), has already assigned the community its own ethnic code.
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He noted that members of the Nubian community have been registered and issued with National Identification documents since the introduction of the first-generation ID card in 1978.
The NRB assigns unique ethnic identification codes to Kenyan communities. These codes allow individuals to declare their ethnicity when applying for national identity documents, as required under Section 5(1)(d) of the Registration of Persons Act.
"In 1995, with the introduction of the second-generation ID and the automated Kenya Identity Management System (KIDMS), it became necessary to create specific ethnic codes to capture ethnic data electronically. Each ethnic community was assigned a unique code, while a generic code, 'Other Kenyans' (Code 81), was provided for individuals whose communities were not yet listed in the system. The Nubian community was initially registered under this generic code (81 - Other Kenyans)," the CS explained.
He added that no member of the Nubian community has ever been denied registration due to the absence of a communal code, noting that the issuance of ethnic codes is a continuous and progressive process.
"Over time, the Ministry has progressively reviewed and updated ethnic codes for additional communities, including sub-tribes that have asserted distinct ethnic identities separate from larger linguistic or cultural groups. As part of this ongoing process, the Nubian community was officially assigned a distinct ethnic code, Code Number 50, in 2022, thereby recognising them as a Kenyan ethnic community within the national registration framework," he said.
The CS further denied knowledge of any current barriers faced by Nubians in acquiring National Identification documents, citing recent reforms that eliminated additional vetting requirements previously applied to certain communities and individuals residing in specific regions.
"The Nubian community was among the groups positively affected by this directive. Prior to the presidential directive, members of the Nubian community were subjected to a special vetting process developed in consultation with Nubian elders."
"This vetting mechanism required attestation of ID applicants by Nubian elders. The purpose of this arrangement was to help distinguish between Kenyan Nubians, whose forebears settled in the country before independence, and migrant Nubians, who continue to immigrate into Kenya. Following the directive by the president, this community-based vetting process was officially discontinued, and the Nubian community is now fully integrated into the standard national registration framework," he said.
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