Three years after being granted Kenyan citizenship, members of the Pemba community say the recognition has transformed their lives, opening access to identity documents, business licences, banking services, property ownership and greater participation in public life.
In Mayungu, Kilifi County, Juma Masoud says obtaining a Kenyan national identity card opened doors that had previously remained shut.
Masoud, who runs a fish business, says citizenship has enabled him to operate openly and obtain the licences required to conduct his trade.
He has also been able to buy land, build a house and acquire a vehicle and a bajaj in his own name.
Before acquiring citizenship, Masoud says conducting business was difficult because he lacked the identification documents required by authorities.
“Ibrahim Mohamed, a Pemba born in Mombasa, says the change has similarly transformed the way members of the community interact with institutions and the wider society.
Citizenship, he says, has enabled Pemba community members to open bank accounts, conduct business more freely and gain greater acceptance in the communities where they have settled.
Mohamed’s own experience reflects the increased inclusion. Residents of Mayungu have elected him as a village elder, a position he says demonstrates the growing acceptance of the Pemba community in local leadership and administration.
For years, Pemba fishermen and traders faced challenges linked to their lack of identification documents, with some reporting discrimination and difficulties accessing business opportunities, licences and essential services.
The documentation gap also meant some members were forced to use identities that did not adequately reflect their Pemba heritage.
The acquisition of Kenyan citizenship has changed that situation, allowing members of the community to pursue livelihoods and investments under their own identities while accessing services previously beyond their reach.
The next major milestone will come with the country’s General Election next year.
For the first time, members of the Pemba community are preparing to participate in the electoral process as Kenyan citizens, with some already registered as voters.
For them, casting a ballot will represent more than exercising a constitutional right. It will mark another step in a journey from years of exclusion towards full participation in Kenya’s civic and democratic life.
The recognition has also created opportunities for greater participation in leadership, with community members now able to take up local responsibilities and engage more directly in public affairs.
For Pemba families who spent years navigating life without formal recognition, citizenship has therefore opened a new chapter—one in which they can work, obtain licences, open bank accounts, own property, participate in leadership and exercise rights that were previously difficult to access.
Three years on, beneficiaries say the change has not only provided them with documents, but has given them a stronger sense of belonging and an opportunity to participate fully in the social, economic and political life of Kenya.
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