At 66, Ramadhan Guya has witnessed decades of change in Tana River County, from the worst floods and droughts to shifting government policies and bureaucratic hurdles.
On this sunny day in Hola, however, his purpose was simple yet profound: helping his daughter get her national Identification Card (ID).
"I travelled 15 kilometers to get here," he said with a smile, taking shade under a nearby tree.
"The journey cost me 250 shillings each way, a total of 500 shillings, but it is a worthwhile expense to help my daughter get her ID."
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Guya, who works at the Hola Irrigation Scheme, recalls how daunting this process once was.
"Back then, you could wait months just to hear about a vetting exercise," he says.
"You needed your entire life documented. You had to bring your wife, kids, school documents, birth certificates, you name it. God help you if something was missing,"
"Sometimes, even with everything in place, the ID might never arrive. Without an ID, doors stay shut," he adds.
"You cannot open a bank account, join a Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization, get a job or even travel freely. It limits your future."
They would ask, 'Where is your ID?' and I had no answer."
But that tide is turning.
"Today feels different," he says, "we only had to see our chief who verified who we are, from there, we went through the rightful process of getting our documents verified."
Guya added that minors turned adults had to be accompanied by one parent or a guardian to be able to go through the ID verification process.
Her 19-year-old daughter, Husna, has just registered and been told to return for her ID in only seven days.
"This has never happened before," he says, eyes gleaming.
"This government is doing something I never thought possible."
Husna, standing proudly beside her father, is equally thrilled.
"I feel grown up now!" she says with a laugh.
"Now I can get a job, open an M-PESA account and even vote one day. I waited until I cleared high school to come and I am glad I did. The timing is just right."
Under a new mobile registration initiative by the Ministry of Interior & National Administration, the process is seamless.
For many other young people, the ability to register for an ID closer to home has removed long-standing barriers.
Rachel Bahola, who recently completed her studies at Wenje Secondary School, shares that it was not always a matter of choice.
She explains that without an ID, even traveling between counties was a challenge.
"I avoided journeys because of police checks. I did not want trouble. Now I feel safer and more confident."
At another corner of the centre, 18-year-old Hassan Issack from Bura beams with joy.
"This Identity Card means I can now explore Kenya, Nairobi, Mombasa, everywhere," he says.
"Before, people used to pay bribes just to get an ID. But this new system is fair and fast."
Speaking at the launch of the Mobile Identity Card Registration drive at Hola Primary School, Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen emphasised that the new, streamlined approach, aligned with President William Ruto's directive to scrap additional vetting in border counties, seeks to end discrimination and marginalisation caused by lack of access to ID cards.
He noted that denying individuals identification documents strips them of official recognition, making them "invisible" in civic and economic life.
This, he added, often stems from historical and systemic discrimination.
"I came here to ensure that what the President promised is happening on the ground, and it is," he said.
"Every applicant here is going through the same process as anyone else across the country."
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The Cabinet Secretary added that Identity Cards are now issued free of charge and within a week, aided by new mobile technology and the introduction of the digital Maisha Card, which includes a scannable QR code for accessing public services.
Aggrey Maasai, Director of the National Registration Bureau, says the turnout at mobile centres reflects both relief and renewed hope.
"The long queues mean people are eager and optimistic. We have removed the Ksh 300 fee and the vetting bottleneck. Now, everything is captured live at the centre, and there is no need to send paperwork to Nairobi," he said.
From June, 2025 mobile registration units will be available in every sub-county, ensuring even broader access.
For Guya, the experience is both personal and historic.
"My daughter is getting her Identity Card in a week," he says, smiling as he prepares to return to work.
"That is something I never thought I would witness in my lifetime."
