Nairobi, October 29-A wave of public frustration is growing after Huduma Kenya centres continued charging KSh 1,000 for lost national ID replacements, despite President William Ruto’s recent announcement that the service would be free.
Speaking earlier this week, President Ruto said the government had lifted the fee to make it easier for citizens to register as voters ahead of the 2027 General Election. “No Kenyan should be denied the opportunity to register as a voter because they do not have an ID card,” he said. “From today, replacing a lost ID will be free.”
However, Huduma Kenya has clarified that the directive is yet to take effect because it has not been officially gazetted. In a statement shared on social media, the agency said: “At this time, the ID replacement fees have not been waived. We are awaiting official confirmation through a gazette notice.”
The clarification has angered many Kenyans who visited Huduma Centres expecting a free service. Some were turned away or asked to pay the fee, sparking criticism over poor coordination between the presidency and implementing agencies. “I came after hearing the President say it’s free, but they still told me to pay,” one applicant at the GPO Huduma Centre in Nairobi said.
Officials from the Ministry of Public Service and the State Department for Immigration have since stated that the gazette notice is being prepared and that the waiver will only take effect once all administrative and financial procedures are complete.
The confusion has reignited debate about government communication and credibility, with critics warning that such contradictions risk eroding public trust and discouraging voter registration among young Kenyans who cannot afford the replacement cost.
