Senior citizens in Siaya receive national ID cards for the first time

Hundreds of senior citizens from Alego Usonga in Siaya County turned up for the ongoing mobile national identity registration drive launched by the government.

The residents, most of whom had lost their identification cards in the 80s expressed renewed hope in getting access to key government services.

The Lunyu dispensary was on Wednesday swarmed with residents of Usonga ward in Siaya County; while the young stood in line, the old were given first priority.

Among them was 72-year-old Fredrick Agawa. For nearly 5 decades, Agawa has never voted, does not hold any bank or mobile money account, and is not a beneficiary of the Social Health Authority (SHA); the reason being that he lost his identity card in the 70s.

“Iliungua kwa nyumba yangu ya kwanza…iliungua na kila kitu…majirani ata walikuwa wananiambia bila ID mimi sio mwanakenya…ata kitu ikinifanya njiani hawawezi jua mimi ni nani,” said Agawa.

Michael Onyang, another senior resident of Lunyu, said: “ID ya mwanzo nilichukua 1971…ile ya blue, nikakaa nayo ilipokuwa 1982 nikiwa narudi nyumbani kutoka Mombasa ilipotea ndani ya gari…sasa kuanzia hapo sijachukua ID yoyote.”

In October 2025, the Ministry of Interior rolled out the mobile registration of persons, an exercise that has been running in all wards across the country.

To enable majority of Kenyans access the key document, the government also waived fees, a move that has seen Agawa and hundreds of other senior citizens from Usonga to turn up and replace their ID cards.

Michael Onyango, also a senior resident, said: “Sijawai kupata senti yoyote kutoka kwa serikali…ikiwa ni hiyo Inua Jamii hiyo ata kusaidiwa vipi sijawahi ata SHA sijapata.”

Under Cap 107 of the Registration of Persons Act, Kenyans who attain 18 years of age are required to register for legal recognition.

A national identity card, often referred to as ID is afterwards issued, and is used to access services as well as participate in national activities such as voting.

For now, Michael, Fredrick and others have been handed a new lease to not only participate in their civic duty but also register for crucial government services.