Residents of Butula district in Busia have complained of harassment by registrar officials.

Youth and the elderly who had gone to the district headquarters to apply for ID cards were yesterday turned away.

The officials claimed that the applicants did not have their parents' ID cards while those who had the IDs were told the documents are old and cannot be used.

The registration clerks however defended their action saying the law must be followed to the letter.

"We are acting within the law to ensure no alien is given an identification card," said one of the registration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

MP Alfred Odhiambo made the situation worse bby asking married women to bring letters from their parents before they apply for ID cards.

"We are appealing to the Immigration minister to intervene," said resident Fredrick Otieno.

Efforts to Odhiambo were futile as his cell phone was switched off.