Factors Influencing Effective Production And Issuance Of Identity Cards In Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

National Identity Cards scheme is the best method to store key information about Citizens. In many developing countries, identification cards are an essential document to hold a job in the formal sector, own property, receive basic social services, benefit from social transfers and carry out bank transactions. The study has discussed five global identification systems including Malaysia ,United Arab Emirates, Belgium, and regional identification systems including Sierra Leone ,South Africa, Angola, Morocco and before zeroing into Kenya identification systems. There have been a number of complaints that the process of identity card issuance was characterized with unnecessary delays .Delaying Kenyan citizens their identity cards has serious repercussions in economic, social and political spheres of their lives. The official waiting period between the time of application and collection is at least one month according to the Ministry of immigration and Registration of Persons, National Registration Bureau Citizens Service Delivery Charter but in most cases this time line has not observed. The purpose of this study was to determine factors influencing the production of identity cards in Nairobi County, Kenya. The research objectives for this study were; To establish how financial resources influence production of identity card in Nairobi County, To assess how an effective feedback system influences production of identity card in Nairobi County, To investigate how Information Communication technology influence production of identity card in Nairobi County, To determine how decentralization can influence production of identity card in Nairobi County and To assess how the registration and replacement processes can be improved. A descriptive survey design was used in this study. The respondents were the National Registration Bureau staff in working in the production section. The study used a sample size of 118 respondents. Probability sampling technique was employed in this study giving each individual equal chance of being included in the sample. The main tool for data collection was questionnaires. The data was collected from the questionnaires and was edited and coded in order to analyze of the data. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Data was presented using tables and percentages. The summary of the study was as follows; in financial resources, Majority (89%) of the respondents were aware that the identity card printing materials and fingerprint ink were readily available for the applicants. On feedback mechanism, majority (56%) of the respondents stated that there is identity tracking system and most of the respondents (52%) that the National Registration Bureau tracking system is good and that majority (95%) of the respondents left their telephone contacts at the registration offices for follow up. On ICT technology, majority (93%) of the respondents were aware that National Registration Bureau Identity card applications processes are manual. Majority (96%) of the respondents were not aware there is no online registration and (96%) no online fingerprint taking or online submission of finger prints impressions. On decentralization, majority (100%) of the respondents were aware that there is one production centre which is in Nairobi and also the majority95%) of the respondents were aware that National Registration Bureau databases are centralized. This study will be used to improve the production processes of identity cards at the National Registration Bureau.