The Interior Ministry has introduced new charges for replacing a national Identity (ID) card, a move aimed at increasing the government's non-tax revenue.
In a statement, Cabinet Secretary (CS) Fred Matiang'i directed the National Registration Bureau to start imposing Sh100 charges for replacement of torn, worn out or mutilated IDs.
He, however, clarified that the charges would not be applicable to young persons who are turning 18 years and not previously registered.
Initially, the charges were Sh300 until in 2012 when it was waivered to encourage the registration of voters ahead of the 2013 General Election.
[caption caption="Interior CS Fred Matiang'i (Facebook)"]
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“The Registration of Persons Rules is amended in rule 8 by deleting the words “shall not pay any fees” appearing in paragraph (6) and substituting, therefore, the words ‘shall pay to the authorized officer a fee of one hundred shillings," part of the statement read.
The Interior CS further directed the Sub County Registration Officers to exercise accountability further warning of dire consequences for those held responsible for any mishandling or misappropriation of the revenue.
To replace a lost ID card, one requires a police abstract and those with unserviceable one must surrender it to a registration officer and apply for a renewal, which takes about ten days.
The Immigration Department, under which issuance of passports, visas, work or residence permits and national IDs falls in, is one of the biggest sources of non-tax revenue for the government.
A month ago, its Director Gordon Kihalangwa told the parliamentary committee on Security that the department collected about Sh10.5 Billion in 2016.
Here is the statement:
