- The government has launched a mobile National ID registration exercise targeting secondary school students.
- The programme eliminates long travel distances, ensuring students turning 18 get IDs before KCSE exams.
- The initiative is part of wider efforts to expand mobile registration and ease congestion at offices.
The government has rolled out a nationwide mobile registration programme for National Identity Cards (IDs), targeting eligible students in secondary schools across the country. The initiative is designed to ensure learners acquire identification documents before completing their studies, easing access to essential services and opportunities.
A circular issued by the National Registration Bureau (NRB) under the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services directed regional, county and sub‑county registration officers to coordinate the exercise, which officially commenced on Monday, July 20, 2026. The directive, signed by NRB Secretary Gilbert Kitiyo, requires officers to make all necessary arrangements to register every eligible student before schools close for the current term.
School principals have been instructed to facilitate the programme by providing transport to registration officers visiting institutions. Officials have also been directed to work closely with school heads within their administrative areas to guarantee smooth and efficient implementation.
The school‑based registration drive seeks to bring services closer to learners, eliminating the need for students to travel long distances to registration offices and reducing delays in acquiring national identity cards.
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Authorities say the programme will particularly benefit students who turn 18 while still in school, enabling them to obtain IDs before sitting for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations or joining universities and colleges.
Possession of a national ID is critical for accessing government services, opening bank accounts, applying for higher education funding, securing employment and conducting official transactions. By embedding registration within schools, the government hopes to increase the number of young Kenyans obtaining IDs on time while easing congestion at registration centres.
The initiative is part of broader reforms aimed at improving access to identification services through mobile registration programmes. Similar efforts have been rolled out in different parts of the country in recent months, reflecting the government’s commitment to modernising citizen services.
Officials maintain that taking registration directly to schools will not only streamline the process but also strengthen national planning by ensuring more young people are documented as they transition into adulthood.
By Jeff Kirui
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