Huduma Kenya has contradicted President William Ruto’s directive to suspend national ID replacement fees, maintaining that the current charge of Ksh1,000 remains in effect until an official gazette notice is issued.
President Ruto, while speaking on October 28 during a public event, announced that the government had suspended all fees related to the replacement of national identification cards. He stated that the move was intended to ensure that every eligible Kenyan can register as a voter ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
Ruto explained that the replacement fee was initially introduced to prevent abuse of free government services but added that the new policy aimed at inclusivity would remain in place until after the 2027 polls.
“We will ensure no one is denied the opportunity to register as a voter because they lack an identification card,” Ruto said. “Previously, we charged Ksh300 for a new ID, and replacement was Ksh1,000, but we have decided to suspend these fees.”
However, Huduma Kenya, through a statement on Wednesday, October 29, clarified that the ID replacement fees had not been waived yet. The agency indicated that it was awaiting formal communication from the government before implementing the directive.
“Hello, at this time, the ID replacement fees have not been waived. We are awaiting official confirmation through a gazette notice,” Huduma Kenya announced.
The clarification followed an outcry from Kenyans who questioned why Huduma Centres were still charging Ksh1,000 for replacement despite the President’s announcement.
Huduma Kenya further noted that updates on any policy or fee changes would be communicated through its official social media pages once gazetted.
This contradiction has sparked confusion among citizens, many of whom expected immediate implementation of Ruto’s directive, especially as the government intensifies efforts to boost voter registration ahead of the next general election.
