The Kenyan Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs plans to acquire up to 300 live capture machines to accelerate national identity card registration ahead of the 2027 general elections.

• Principal Secretary for Immigration and Citizen Services, Belio Kipsang, announced the move during the State Department’s Annual Review Meeting on Tuesday, December 16.
• The goal is to equip all 1,450 wards in Kenya with these machines in 2026, allowing ID cards to be ready for collection within seven days.
• The government aims to register at least one million new ID card holders in the next year, with President William Ruto waiving processing charges for first-time applicants and replacements.