The government has officially gazetted a six-month waiver on the Ksh.1,000 charge for the replacement of national identity cards and the amendment of personal details.

In a special gazette notice released on Friday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen confirmed that the waiver fulfills President William Ruto’s directive to make identification documents more accessible to all Kenyans.

“The fees prescribed in the Sixth Schedule in respect of duplicate or replacement IDs and change of particulars shall be nil for six months, with effect from the date of commencement of these rules,” the notice stated.

President Ruto first announced the waiver on October 4, 2025, emphasizing that the move will remain in place through the 2027 election period.

“We will ensure that no Kenyan is denied the chance to register as a voter due to the lack of an identification card,” President Ruto said during the announcement.

According to the Interior Ministry, the initiative aims to register at least one million Kenyans within the next year. To support this goal, the government has procured new printing equipment capable of producing up to 15,000 ID cards daily.

Speaking during a visit to the National Registration Bureau in Nairobi, CS Murkomen urged citizens especially the youth to take advantage of the waiver and obtain their IDs.

“Now is the best time to apply for your ID as we work to expedite the process. We are not only registering Kenyans but also documenting aliens and refugees so they can access essential services,” he said.

Murkomen also revealed that over 400,000 identity cards remain uncollected at registration offices across the country and encouraged the public to pick them up promptly.