File image of Immigration PS Julius Bitok
The State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services has announced that the Maisha Card will be rolled out immediately after the High Court lifted an injunction that blocked the rollout of the new generation IDs.
In a statement, Immigration PS Julius Bitok said over 600,000 Kenyans had been affected after the court suspended the rollout of the new IDs.
“State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services has taken note of the High Court directive on Friday, February 23, 2024, lifting the orders issued on December 5th, 2023 that barred the Ministry of Interior and National Administration from the issuance of new generation National Identity Cards also
known as Maisha Card.
“The High Court decision is a welcome reprieve to the over 600,000 Kenyans whose applications for new and duplicate ID cards could not be processed to fruition in adherence to the Court order,” read the statement in part.
Bitok noted that the government would expedite the production of the IDs and will produce them on a first-in-first-out basis beginning immediately.
“We commit to continue implementing reforms to the Kenya National Identity ecosystem in a manner that respects the Constitution and our laws and with respect to the rights and the interests of all citizens and clients of the Government services,” he added.
In December 2023, the High Court suspended the issuance of Maisha cards after the Katiba Institute challenged the legal basis of implementing it.
Justice John Chigiti however set aside the orders after the Ministry of Interior’s lawyers told the court that the matter had been filed in two different courts and there was a risk of the courts making conflicting decisions.
