National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has called on Bungoma residents to get Identification Cards in large numbers.
Wetang’ula said chiefs should be the champions of encouraging the residents to get IDs because they know everyone in the villages.
He said that Bungoma is the third largest county with many people therefore, they should up their game in voter registration.
The speaker said that leaders will only shine with support from the residents through voter registration.
"I want to start a competition among our locations, based on the numbers you have. By mid-next year, the chief and their assistant who will have registered a high uptake of IDs and voter registration, there is a lottery I am putting on the table, the location will get Sh1 million," he said.
The speaker added that the amount will be under the custodian of the county speaker and the members of the county assembly.
According to him, Bungoma county should present a minimum of one million registered voters.
Wetang’ula said that to get development in the county, the residents must register as voters.
His sentiments follow a move by President William Ruto to issue IDs for free and abolish vetting in the North Eastern region.
Wetang'ula challenged the administrators to intensify campaigns and ensure that eligible citizens acquire the vital document.
Speaking when he hosted political leaders and the administrators at his rural home in Bungoma, Wetang'ula reminded them that the President's order is not meant for the North Eastern region alone.
"I support the President's directive on the removal of vetting of ID applicants. I want to clarify that the directive is not meant for the North Eastern region only but applicable countrywide," he added.
The Speaker noted that the order got rid of the colonial restrictions that made it hard to acquire an ID.
"Most youths shied away from applying for IDs because of the unnecessary restrictions they were subjected to. I have seen Kenyans above 60 years who do not have IDs because they don't meet the requirements," he said.
He added that the government would devolve the ID issuance bureaus to hasten the process of acquiring the document.
"We had a meeting with the President and he agreed that the government will decentralise more services related to the issuance of IDs, except for printing to make the process faster and have applicants get the document on time," he added.
The speaker further faulted Trans Nzoia governor George Natembeya for opposing Ruto's directive to abolish ID vetting in the North Eastern region.
The Trans Nzoia governor had asked Ruto to reconsider his decision to abolish vetting of the document.
However, the President defended his decision saying the move will unify the country and ensure equity.
