For decades, the pastoralist communities of the North Rift have been ghosts in the national machine—uncounted, unregistered, and unserved. That era ends now.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has landed in Kapenguria to launch a massive, technology-driven registration drive targeting the "forgotten millions." The Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) is a concerted state effort to issue National Identity cards to residents of West Pokot, Turkana, and Elgeyo Marakwet. This is not just a bureaucratic exercise; it is an act of enfranchisement for a population that has historically been denied the basic right to legal existence.

Bridging the Exclusion Gap

"A Kenyan without an ID is a refugee in their own country," Murkomen declared at the launch. The lack of documentation has systematically locked these communities out of the modern economy. Without an ID, they cannot access the Social Health Authority (SHA) medical cover, apply for affordable housing, or even register a SIM card to transact via M-Pesa. The cycle of poverty is perpetuated not by a lack of resources, but by a lack of recognition.

The Ministry has deployed mobile registration units equipped with live capture technology to navigate the rugged terrain. These units eliminate the paperwork bottlenecks of the past, allowing for real-time data processing in remote manyattas. The goal is to clear the backlog within two months, effectively formalizing the citizenship of an entire region.

• The Security Dividend: Beyond service delivery, the drive is a critical security measure. By registering the population, the state can better distinguish between genuine citizens and illegal aliens or bandits who exploit the anonymity of the region.
• The Nomad Challenge: The initiative is tailored to the nomadic lifestyle, with registration teams following migration routes rather than waiting in static offices.
• The Numbers Game: Thousands of elderly citizens who have missed out on cash transfer programs due to lack of IDs are being prioritized.

A State Presence Restored

The launch in West Pokot symbolizes the return of the state to areas it had effectively abandoned. It is an admission that the government has failed these people in the past, and a promise to rectify that historical injustice. For the young man in Kapenguria who can now apply for a job, or the mother who can finally access government healthcare, this plastic card is more than identity; it is dignity.