Kenya’s 43rd tribe the Makonde yet to receive ID cards as voter registration kicks off

As the second and last phase of the Mass Voter Registration (MVR) exercise kicks off in the country, the Makonde community in Kwale County that has been stateless for long is crying foul over a delay in the issuance of their Identity cards after they were recognized as the 43^rd ethnicity in Kenya.

The community feels that they might miss out in the voter registration exercise.

President Uhuru Kenyatta issued a directive ordering the Interior Ministry to issue the community with IDs before December 2015.

This was after the community accompanied by various human rights groups staged a 4-day walk from Kwale to State House in Nairobi.

Following the directive, Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery launched the process of identifying the community as Kenyan on 25^th October last year and promised to issue them with IDs before Christmas last year.

More than three weeks down the line and the community members are yet to get their IDs even though they were issued with waiting cards.

A visit at the Makongeni village in Kwale County which hosts the largest number of the Makonde community showed a dejected people who were earger to register as voters for the first time.

“We registered but we are yet to get IDs. The government keeps on telling us that we will get [them] but we are yet to,” said Ms Lupina Asumani.

Asumani, who is in her late 60s, said that they are dejected because other people are registering as voters.

She noted that the registration was to first identify them as Kenyans after trekking from Kwale to Nairobi last year and will only feel as such if they are given a chance to vote.

“We are Kenyans and we really want to vote. I will feel very happy if [we] get those cards,” she said.

Ms Lucy Nsawaka said she is not sure with what is happening so far as the wait has not been forthcoming.

Beatrice Fundi, 22, said that just like any other youth she is optimistic to participate in the August election and hopes that they will get the IDs on time.

Clutching on her waiting card, Zuena Fundi noted that they are not sure if they are still stateless or acquired Kenyan citizenship.

“It is surprising and we are asking ourselves if we are still stateless or we have gained citizenship. We, however, still have hope,” she said.

Few meters away from the village at Makongeni Primary voter registration center there was a low number of people turning out to register.

The Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits were working without hitches.