The fight to be accepted as Kenyan’s and issued with identification Cards (IDs) for Makonde people is finally won after President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday issued a directive that all eligible stateless Makonde people be issued with national identity cards by December.
Makonde are a community living in Kwale county but of Mozambique origin who have been in the country for decades but were yet to be recognised as citizens.
The seventh ordinary cabinet meeting held at State House approved the registration and issuance of citizenship to the Makonde people of the Coast region.
Apart from IDs only, the President further directive that they should also benefit from title deads, hence the responsible government departments to begin working on title deeds for them.
“I seek your apology on behalf of other Kenyans because we have taken too long to consider you as our brothers and sisters,” Uhuru said.
“When Kenya attained independence in 1963, the Makonde were not identified as one of the 42 tribes of Kenya,” Uhuru said.
“Asians and Arabs who held British citizenship were however given a two-year grace period to either register as Kenyan citizens or take up British citizenship,” the President said.
“This provision left out other migrant communities who had been living in Kenya before 1963 and who consequently became stateless,” he said.
“This was valid for five years but the Cabinet Secretary could extend it for three more years. However, the Makonde have been unable to take advantage of the new law,” Uhuru said.
Their failure to apply for citizenship, the head of state said, can be attributed to lack of necessary supporting documents.