National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has called for the expedited issuance of national identity cards (IDs) to eligible Kenyans, particularly the youth, following President William Ruto’s directive to remove barriers hindering the process. Wetangula emphasized that unnecessary colonial-era restrictions had long prevented many Kenyans from acquiring IDs, leading to cases where even individuals above 60 years lacked the vital document.
Speaking at his Bungoma home while hosting political leaders and administrators, Wetang’ula urged chiefs and their assistants to use their influence to mobilize citizens to register for IDs. He noted that decentralizing ID issuance bureaus, except for printing, would accelerate the process, ensuring timely access to the document.
“We had a meeting with the president, and he agreed to decentralize services related to ID issuance. This move will help citizens acquire the document faster and efficiently,” he stated.
Wetang’ula further urged politicians to encourage ID holders to register as voters, with a target to increase Bungoma’s registered voters from 600,000 to one million. “Bungoma is the third-largest county in Kenya, and we must work to ensure a higher voter registration turnout,” he said.
On infrastructure, the Speaker announced that the government had allocated Kshs 1.5 billion in the supplementary budget to resume stalled road projects in Bungoma. He assured residents that within three weeks, construction would recommence, countering critics who had raised concerns over delays.
Regarding the struggling Nzoia Sugar Factory, Wetang’ula revealed that the government had identified a potential investor to lease the factory as part of revival efforts. He dismissed critics opposing the plan, arguing that leasing would benefit farmers and employees.
“The leasing arrangement includes settling all pending farmer and staff dues, installing a new crushing machine, and allocating six percent of farmers’ earnings for bonuses,” he said, adding that sugar mills in Nyanza had embraced similar plans.
Additionally, Wetang’ula encouraged Bungoma farmers to venture into coffee farming, highlighting that coffee prices had risen from Kshs 50 to Kshs 114 per kilogram.
Governor Kenneth Lusaka and Senator Wafula Wakoli backed the leasing proposal, emphasizing that reviving the mill would restore livelihoods and boost Bungoma’s economy.
