Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sharrif Nassir has blasted leaders criticizing President William Ruto’s last Wednesday proclamation to scrap a 60-year-old vetting requirement for residents of border counties to acquire national Identity (ID) cards, insisting that Ruto’s move would help people from marginalised areas and those from the Northeastern region to earn equal rights as other Kenyans.
While defending the Head of State, the county chief noted that despite the move being deemed unpopular and harshly criticised, the affected people would now enjoy equal rights as other Kenyans.
“Unapata viongozi wengine saizi wanaanza kulalamika ya kuwa kwa nini mnakubalia jamii zingine kupatiwa IDs na kuwa kama Wakenya wengine.Wapende wasipende, sisi ni Wakenya kama vile wao tunawatambua kama Wakenya na watatutambua kuwa sisi ni Wakenya,” the Mombasa Governor said on Saturday night at the Gabra Cultural Night celebrations in Mbaraki, Mombasa.
Nassir, also a national deputy ODM leader told those opposed to President Ruto’s decree that the move will enhance national cohesion in a divided country, ending discrimination at all levels.
“Kenya is home to 44 different ethnic communities, each contributing to the rich cultural fabric that defines us as a nation. Our diversity is not a weakness—it is our greatest strength. We must, therefore, reject any form of discrimination and ensure that every Kenyan, regardless of their background, enjoys the full benefits of our democracy,” Nassir remarked.
On Saturday, Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya described President Ruto’s decree to remove the national ID vetting process as a policy disaster, which will have dire consequences for the country in the coming years.
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