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{
"id": 196028,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/196028/?format=api",
"text_counter": 81,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. ole Metito",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Regional Development Authorities",
"speaker": {
"id": 199,
"legal_name": "Judah Katoo Ole-Metito",
"slug": "judah-ole-metito"
},
"content": " Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I also rise to support this Motion. A lot has been said about the similarities and the differences between the two processes, the process of acquiring an identity card and that of acquiring a voter's card. Let me just have a quick look at the those two processes. First, I believe that a voter's card is free. Secondly, its issuance is regular, continuous and is known. The Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) always undertakes registration every month of May of the year, that is from 1st to 31st of that month. The places of issuance are also known. There are 20,000 registration centres in this country, as far as voter's cards are concerned. Thirdly, it is also instant; you get it there and then and there is no corruption in getting it. This is different from the process of acquiring an identity card. First, you do not even know when to get it, because there is no specific time or month. Secondly, it is not free. In fact, it is very expensive to get an identity card. I remember that last year the fees of Kshs50 was waived. That was the only receipted amount when getting an identity card, but in some instances some of our people use more than Kshs1000 to get an identity card, because of the distance they travel and the people they find in offices, who are very corrupt. Thirdly, there are things that are required like a birth certificate. I want to say that even now, especially at the border district where I come from, officers are even asking for the title deeds of the land you own! That happens, especially, when the identity card of one of your parents indicates residence of a different district from where the applicant comes from. You are asked to bring the title deed of the land your parents own. The vetting process is that the Provincial Administration, that is the assistant chiefs, chiefs and so on, have formed vetting committees who are appointed by themselves. Those committees are the dens of corruption. The other problem is the distribution process, that is the way the identity cards are taken to their owners. If they are given to the Assistant Chiefs or the Chiefs, they never reach the owners. The Provincial Administration has become very political, and the area Assistant Chief, or the Chief, receives the identity cards of the people from his sub-location or location. They know them very well, but they withhold the cards until the registration of voters is over before they can give them out, because of perceived political affiliation. If we try to put all the information into one document, it ill be good that we try to simply the process, make it regular and harmonise the Acts, and have the process under one roof. I do agree with the proposal that issuance of the document be managed by the ECK, and not the Ministry of Immigration and Registration of Persons."
}