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{
    "id": 196049,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/196049/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 102,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Kajwang",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister of State for Immigration and Registration of Persons",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 164,
        "legal_name": "Gerald Otieno Kajwang",
        "slug": "otieno-kajwang"
    },
    "content": "This will ensure that when you go home, he knows you, he will give you your ID card when you attain the age of 18 or 16 depending on what this House will resolve. If we did that, we would not have that mlolongo and the corruption that goes with it. I can tell you that centralisation has its own problems. Procurements become bigger and people fight for them. Bureaucracy has a way of feeding itself. I think that if we can take our title deeds at Homa Bay - now it is in Mbita - which entitles you to your land and the registrar will sign that it is your title deed and it becomes yours, I do not know why they cannot provide an ID card. If the Registrar of Persons can give you your birth certificate at home--- I know that, at one time, I took my birth certificate at Homa Bay! I do not know why an ID card must come to the National Registration Bureau (NRB) for it to be vetted for one year before you get it. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, since I went to that office, people have been sending me SMSs because I gave them my number. It has overwhelmed me. But the problem they seem to say is that they have waited for their ID cards for one year. Some say: \"I have waited for my passport for two years. I have been told to come over and over again. I am now tired and I have given up after two years of trying!\" They also say: \"I have tried to change my name because it was written Kituyi without an \"I\" at the end and now, I need that \"I\" because my certificates have the \"I\". I have waited for two years to get that amendment\"! That is something that can be done very easily. So, I think that decentralisation is going to be the key. I hope that the committee that we will put together may recommend that we decentralise and appoint Government officers to be registration officials, especially chiefs! They have very little work, anyway. Sometimes back, I went to a chief's office in Tanzania. I was shocked with what they do. I wished we could adopt it in this country. If you go to a chief's office, it is written at the board. The population is so much. There are so many men and women. Primary registration in the location has April 23, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 609 so many children. There are this number of boys and girls. The dams we have in the location are so many. One has dried up and it needs excavation. They give all that information. They even indicate how many visitors went to that location in a particular year. If you went down the line to a chief's office, you will get all that information. But our chiefs do not seem to know how many children died of malaria in their locations. They have very little work. So, we could give them some of those jobs, so that they can help. Another problem is with regard to the thing called race. The people from Coast and North Eastern provinces have a problem getting their documentation. That is because of an idea that has been in the heads of registrars that any person who comes from a border area could be a terrorist. I do not know where it came from but, immediately your name is - as Mr. Affey has said - Omar, you have a problem getting an ID card or a passport. That is a problem! Why? Because it is an attitude. I think it must change. Unless you have a reason--- Because, really, first of all, registration is compulsory. If you do not register, you will be jailed. So, it is compulsory! For something which is compulsory, you should register the person unless you have a reason to doubt it. It must be a valid reason. But here, it is like you must prove that you are a Kenyan and that your grandfather was also a Kenyan, before you get anywhere. I think those are the problems in registration that we want to look at. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there was something else on walking with an ID card or its photocopy. First of all, there is no law--- At least, this law does not require that you walk with your ID card. A police officer has no right to require that you must have an ID card. That is not his job!"
}