President William Ruto has officially signed a Presidential Proclamation to end the vetting of identification cards for residents of Northeastern Kenya.
Speaking in Wajir Town on Wednesday, the President said the move would help residents acquire IDs more easily. He called the vetting process unjust and discriminatory and said all Kenyans should be treated equally.
“For years, people from Northeastern have faced extra vetting and ethnic profiling before getting birth certificates and IDs,” Ruto said.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and governors from Wajir, Mandera, and Garissa attended the signing event.
The President is on a four-day tour of the region. He visited Mandera on Tuesday and will visit Garissa and Isiolo on Thursday and Friday.
Ruto announced that the government will spend Ksh.6.9 billion on electricity to connect thousands of households to power in the three counties. He launched the Shuublow Community and Secondary Electrification Project in Wajir East to support solar-powered boreholes and address water shortages.
He said the government is reforming the education sector to ensure no student misses school. He also opened the Tarbaj Teachers Training College, which will help train more regional teachers.
The President launched the National Livestock Restocking and Vaccination Programme on livestock at Bula Barwaqo to help families who lost animals during the drought and El Niño. He urged pastoralists to vaccinate their livestock to improve market access.
Ruto said the government will tarmac 750km of roads in the region at a cost of Ksh.100 billion with support from the African Development Bank, World Bank, and Arab Bank.
“This country belongs to all of us. We must develop all parts equally,” he said.
During his visit, the President inspected projects such as the Wajir Affordable Housing Project, Wajir Hospital, and the Wajir County Aggregation and Industrial Park.
