Relief as thousands of Isiolo youths benefit from mobile ID registration drive

Thousands of Kenyans in remote parts of Isiolo County who have struggled to access government services due to a lack of identity cards and birth certificates now have reason to smile, following the rollout of a free mobile registration drive to issue the crucial documents.

The exercise, which began on April 7 and ends today, April 17, 2026, has seen a surge in turnout over the past two days as more residents seek the services. The new IDs are also expected to enable more people to register as voters and participate in the 2027 General Election.

According to the Officer overseeing the exercise in Isiolo County John Njuguna, at least 6,864 persons, mostly young people who have just attained the age of 18, have been served during the first nine days of the programme. He, however, noted that the number was short of the target, representing between 40 – 50 % of the targeted population.

Njuguna, however, expressed optimism that more people would turn up today, being the last day of the mobile registration exercise.

He cited nomadism, where pastoralist people move with their livestock to distant areas in search of water and pasture as one of the major challenges that registration officers faced, as they had to follow the people to their new settlements with the help of chiefs and assistant chiefs.

The officer hailed the efforts of the National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) to raise awareness among the people and mobilise them, noting that this was the reason for the exercise’s success.

Scrapping of the vetting exercise also played a key part, as those seeking to register for IDs only need to be identified by their parents and area chiefs for the process to continue.

At the Chechelesi Chief’s office in Tuluroba location, Isiolo County, hundreds of youths seeking registration to obtain ID cards turned up.

They lauded the government initiative to reach out to them in their respective villages as a bold move that will enable most of them to acquire the crucial identification document, which will also allow them to register as voters in the upcoming 2027 general elections.

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