Kenya: Makonde celebrate citizenship while other stateless people cry foul
Published: 3/Feb/2017
Source: Kenya News Agency
As the Makonde community at the Coast celebrate their acquisition of Kenyan citizenship, other stateless people in the region are appealing to the government to also address their plight.
The Wapemba, Rwandese and Burundians who also live in Kwale County along the Makonde watched helplessly as the latter finally got national identification cards on Wednesday after a long struggle for recognition.
However Coast Region Registrar of Persons, Mr. Aggrey Masai, said the other stateless people will be considered once they finish with the Makonde.
“We only asked them to be patient and wait till we deal with the Makonde community after which we will register them,” Mr. Masai said.
Some of the stateless people broke into tears after witnessing their Makonde neighbours being declared Kenya’s 43rd tribe, something they also hoped to actualize after a long struggle with their compatriots for the citizenship.
They could not hide their disappointment on realizing that they had been left out of the registration process that culminated in the issuance of 1,176 ID cards to the Makonde.
Read further: http://kenyanewsagency.go.ke/en/makonde-celebrate-citizenship-while-other-stateless-people-cry-foul/