President William Ruto has come to the aid of a number of marginalised communities in the country who have for years had to undergo vetting when applying for national identity (ID) cards.

While hosting the Iftar Dinner at State House, Nairobi on Monday night, April 8, 2024, the head of state abolished the need for vetting for the said communities effective May 1.

The announcement comes as reprieve for members of the Asian, Arab, and Nubian communities who have had to provide proof of citizenship before they are given ID cards.

During the dinner, President Ruto told the Muslim leaders that the government is working to amend the guidelines on application of national ID cards, a process that has had the state accused of social and religious discrimination.

“Every Kenyan should be treated equally. We have changed the old policy and have concluded the policy documents. Beginning May this year, there will no longer be vetting for people who want to get their IDs,” Ruto said..

“I will issue a policy document to ensure we have a mechanism similar to other Kenyans and don’t discriminate on the basis of religion or region.”

When applying for IDs, members of the Somali, Asian, Arab, and Nubian communities are often asked to provide extra birth certificates like those of their parents and grandparents to ascertain their citizenship.

A previous report has since indicated that many members of these communities lack IDs since the introduction of vetting in the 1990s.