THE NEW BILL AIMS TO STREAMLINE IDENTITY AND VOTERS REGISTRATION FOR KENYAN STUDENTS AT 18

Additional changes have been suggested to align the issuance of identification cards with the process of voter registration before students complete their secondary education.

“To cure low registration of voters, why don’t you amend the Bill further to synchronise issuance of Ids to students and registration as voters?”
Baringo Women Representative Florence Jematiah posed.

The Registration of Persons (Amendment) Bill, 2024, sponsored by Kipipiri MP Wanjiku Muhia  , aims to amend Section 107 of the Registration of Persons Act to enable the principal registrar to conduct a national registration program targeting secondary school students eligible for registration as voters.

If the program is implemented, schools will help students who turn 18 get registered and issued with national ID cards while they’re still in school. The registration will take place right at the school, and any student who turns 18 will be expected to register within 30 days of their birthday.

Kipipiri MP added that, according to the current law, anyone who turns 18 is required to appear before a registration officer within 90 days. Failing to do so is considered an offence.

“Currently, the National Registration Bureau usually conducts registration of students in high school in an exercise conducted in conjunction with the school management. Ensuring that secondary students are registered for national ID cards offers several benefits, both for the students and the nation,” Muhia said.

The Bill mandates that eligible students will not pay fees for their ID cards, which will be delivered to their schools or a designated location if they have already graduated. This amendment addresses the challenges students face in obtaining IDs after leaving school and is expected to add  young voters to the electoral roll annually, potentially shifting the political landscape. The IDs also facilitate students’ access to services like university placement and higher education loans.

“It empowers students with legal recognition and access to various government services, including application for scholarships, and participation in national processes such as voter registration.”She said

Bill is currently under review by the Parliamentary Budget Office before further parliamentary processes and public participation take place .

“Ours as a committee was to check whether it was a money Bill, and it has passed that criterion. The Bill will now undergo the normal Parliamentary processes as others when being considered by the House,” Atandi said.

This amendment essentially humanizes and simplifies the voter registration process for youth by linking it directly with their schooling timeline, ensuring the registration and issuance of identification documents are done proactively before secondary school completion.