President William Ruto cuts a ribbon to open classrooms in Lang'ta Constituency on March 13, 2025
The directive reverses a previously gazetted fee hike, which had increased the cost of obtaining an ID for first-time applicants from Sh100 to Sh300 in 2024.
Speaking in Kibra Constituency during his fourth-day tour of Nairobi County, Ruto said the move aims to ensure that as many Kenyans as possible secure identification documents.
"I want to announce here in Kibra today that IDs will now be issued free of charge," President Ruto declared.
"Every Kenyan should receive an ID without any form of discrimination," he added.
Ruto’s directive follows public outcry over the inability of many Kenyans, particularly 18-year-olds, to afford the Sh300 application fee.
The opposition had also called on the government to abolish the high fees for first-time applicants, arguing that it hindered access to the crucial document.
Additionally, Ruto’s order comes days after he lifted the
vetting requirement for ID applicants in the Northeastern region.
Last month, the President directed that Kenyans in Northeastern be issued IDs without the previously stringent vetting process, which he described as discriminatory.
The now-reversed ID fee hike had been introduced by former Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, who is now the Deputy President.
In January 2024, Kindiki gazetted new charges, reducing the proposed fee for new ID cards from Sh1,000 to Sh300 following public backlash.
"The revised charges, fees, and levies were adjusted based on public feedback received after the initial gazette notice," Kindiki stated at the time.
He also noted that the government would cover the cost of ID issuance for Kenyans who could not afford it, ensuring access for the most vulnerable citizens.
"The revised fees were intended to help Kenya achieve financial self-reliance and reduce the country’s dependence on unsustainable debt, which threatens our sovereignty and the dignity of future generations," he added.
