Murkomen: Kenyans abroad will not be denied IDs, voter registration
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has said Kenyans living outside the country will not be discriminated against when seeking national identification documents or registering as voters.
Murkomen dismissed opposition to the registration of Kenyans living in neighbouring countries, saying the government would not deny citizens their constitutional rights based on where they reside.
“All Kenyans, including those in our neighbouring countries, have the right to register as voters. That is why we have a whole State Department for Diaspora Affairs. It is meant to support Kenyans outside our borders,” Murkomen said.
The CS spoke in Kiminini, Trans Nzoia County, at the start of a development, security and service-delivery tour of the region.
He urged residents to take advantage of ongoing reforms in registration services to obtain national identification cards and register as voters, saying the documents were critical to accessing government services and participating in democratic processes.
“An ID is a right and a gateway to employment, Government services and a stake in national decision-making,” he said.
Murkomen also inspected the construction of the Kiminini modern market, which is expected to accommodate 500 traders.
The facility will include storage areas, cold rooms, eateries, a social hall and an ICT hub, among other amenities.
He said the project was part of wider government investments aimed at improving the operating environment for farmers and small-scale traders.
The CS further said the Interior Ministry had intensified its crackdown on illicit alcohol, narcotic drugs and other contraband, including goods smuggled across Kenya’s borders.
“Protecting our young people from alcohol and drug abuse requires sustained enforcement alongside cooperation from communities,” he said.
During the tour, Murkomen also inspected the ongoing construction of the Kiminini-Ndalu road and new classrooms at Kiminini Comprehensive School to support Junior Secondary and lower-primary learners.
He was accompanied by Deputy Inspector General of the Administration Police Service Gilbert Masengeli, Kiminini MP Kakai Bisau, Endebess MP Robert Pukose, Trans Nzoia Woman Representative Lilian Siyoi, Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Abdi Hassan, Rift Valley Regional Police Commander Mathews Ndanyi, Trans Nzoia County Commissioner Alason Hussein and several MCAs
