OLD IDS

The government has allowed holders of old generation identity cards to register as voters to enable them participate in the upcoming referendum.

Immigration Minister Otieno Kajwang said on Wednesday that the decision was arrived at a consultative meeting with various stakeholders as an overwhelming number of Kenyans still held the old cards.

The move comes two days after the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) Chairman Issack Hassan appealed to the government to allow holders of the old IDs to take part in the ongoing registration exercise.

The old generation ID cards had been de-gazetted by the Immigration Ministry.

" After holding consultative meetings with office of the President, Prime Ministers office and my office , we saw it fit for holders of 1st generation ID cards who are a sizeable number not to be locked out of the registration exercise", Kajwang said .

Speaking in his office, the Minister however called on those holding the IDs to ensure that they apply for the second generation ID cards once the exercise is over saying that the government would re-degazette them again.

He however said that once the voting exercise is over they will have to sit and issue a time line on the deadline on the cancellation of the 1st Generation cards.

Kajwang at the time said failure by treasury to allocate his ministry adequate funds had affected issuance of IDs countrywide.

He said he was shocked to learn that his Ministry had only been allocated 2 million shillings in the supplemantary budget instead of the Sh 200Million they had asked for.

The Minister further advised his officers on the ground to relax rules requiring married women to have their parents IDs in order to be issued with new ones.

He said they will also involve the Provincial Administration in identifying Married women and their husbands so that they don't have to travel to their rural homes to get their fathers IDs.

Dubai

Meanwhile,Minister Kajwang has denied any involvement in the deportation of United Arab Emirates nationals that has led to a stand off between the two countries.

UAE issued new visa rules as a result of the deportations requiring Kenyans traveling to Dubai to be holders of a degree.

"I am the only one authorized to deport anybody and I did not take it kindly when my office was mentioned about the deportation saga" , he said

He called on relevant ministries concerned to work in harmony in future and also told the officers working in various sections related to visitors to ensure that they treat visitors with respect.