1,300 uncollected IDs burnt in Nyandarua protests
National Identity (ID) cards.
What you need to know:
- Government property valued at over Sh40 million was destroyed in Ol Kalout town alone.
- An additional 900 IDs were recently stolen from the Nyandarua West registration office.
At least 1,300 national identification cards awaiting collection were destroyed in Nyandarua County during last Wednesday’s violent protests.
Government property valued at over Sh40 million was destroyed in Ol Kalou town alone.
Immigration Principal Secretary Dr Belio Kipsang revealed that the IDs were destroyed after protesters set fire to the National Registration Bureau office in Nyandarua Central during the June 25 protests.
“This will disrupt service delivery in the region as residents rely on national IDs to access essential services, including healthcare, education, banking, and employment. It is a direct assault on the nation’s identity systems,” said Dr Kipsang.
He added that two Live Capture biometric kits, devices used to enroll new applicants into the national identity system, and other government equipment worth over Sh1 million were also destroyed in the fire.
Dr Kipsang also disclosed that an additional 900 IDs were recently stolen from the Nyandarua West registration office in Oljoroorok town after unknown individuals broke into the premises before the documents could be collected by their rightful owners.
Nyandarua West Sub-County Deputy County Commissioner Josephine Kihara said the theft occurred on May 29, 2025.
Dr Kipsang, who was touring Nyandarua to assess the damage to government installations, called for a thorough investigation to determine whether the 1,300 IDs destroyed in Ol Kalou were genuinely burnt or stolen before the building was torched.
“I urge anyone who had applied for IDs at the Ol Kalou and Oljoroorok offices to report to police if their documents are used in criminal activities,” cautioned the PS.
He condemned attacks on government installations and security officers during demonstrations, warning that the state would not tolerate such acts.
The PS announced the deployment of emergency mobile registration units to help affected residents replace their lost identification cards.
The incident in Ol Kalou—Nyandarua County’s headquarters—occurred after police shot dead a protester during Wednesday’s demonstrations.
The aftermath of the protests, held to mark the first anniversary of last year’s anti-Finance Bill demonstrations, saw 26 vehicles belonging to both the county and national governments torched, while several government offices were set ablaze.
Additionally, 19 county government motorcycles were destroyed.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations are probing the arson attacks and are working to apprehend those involved.
They have obtained CCTV footage showing the goons responsible for torching the vehicles and buildings.
The footage shows rowdy youths approaching vehicles parked at the Ol Kalou sub-county offices, opening them, and setting them on fire. Other suspects are seen throwing stones to break windows, accessing the vehicles, and making away with valuables.
Gunfire can be heard in the footage, but the looters remained undeterred.
Local residents have claimed that the suspected attackers were not from the area.