Residents of Mageta Island in Siaya County are finally getting an opportunity to register for national identity cards after the government took the registration exercise closer to the island.
The exercise, conducted under the government’s Usajili Mashinani programme, has attracted hundreds of residents at Sika Beach, including young people and senior citizens who have never held national identification documents.
For some elderly residents, the registration offers hope of accessing essential government services and participating more fully in national affairs after years of being excluded because they lacked identification documents.
Among those seeking registration is 71-year-old Herin Aoko, who hopes to finally receive an identity card and use it to access services that have remained out of reach for years.
The exercise, which began on Friday, is targeting about 5,000 people on Mageta Island. Officials said approximately 1,400 residents had been registered within the first four days.
The programme has been brought closer to island residents to address the difficulties they have faced travelling to the mainland to obtain identification documents.
For many residents, particularly the elderly, the journey to the mainland has been difficult because of transport challenges and age-related limitations.
Some senior citizens said the absence of an identity card had made it difficult for them to access healthcare and other government services.
They said they hope acquiring the documents will enable them to seek medical treatment more easily, access support programmes for older people and benefit from government services.
The residents also said possession of an ID would give them greater opportunity to participate in national processes, including voting, and allow them to be recognised as full participants in government service delivery programmes.
The registration exercise is expected to continue as officials work towards reaching the targeted 5,000 residents.
Those who have completed the registration process are expected to receive their identity cards after about one week, according to officials.
For Mageta’s elderly residents, the exercise represents more than simply acquiring a national document. It offers an opportunity to access services they have struggled to obtain, receive government support and participate in civic life.
The rollout of registration services on the island has therefore brought the government closer to residents who for years faced geographical and logistical barriers to obtaining identification documents.
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