The federal government has kicked off the registration of members of the Pemba group as residents of Kenya.
Immigration and Citizen Companies PS Julius Bitok launched the train on the Karisa Maitha grounds in Kilifi following a proclamation by President William Ruto on January, thirtieth 2023 that conferred citizenship to the group that traces its origins to the Island of Pemba.
PS Bitok mentioned the registration was supposed to finish ‘statelessness’ that the Pemba folks have been condemned to for many years.
Over 5,000 members of the indigenous group are anticipated to register through the train.
With the popularity of citizenship, the group can now profit from the rights and privileges of citizenship together with entry to vital registration paperwork reminiscent of Identification Playing cards (IDs) and the Kenyan passport that the Pemba couldn’t entry earlier than, the PS mentioned.
“We would like the Pemba group to take full benefit of their new standing to totally combine social-economically with the remainder of Kenyan communities. We would like them to pursue their full potential with out the hindrances related to ‘statelessness,” Bitok mentioned.
The Pemba group is known for its seafaring and fishing abilities. They fled to Kenya within the 60s because of the upheavals triggered by the Zanzibar revolution in 1964. Many selected not to return even after political order was restored on the Island.
With the registration, the Pemba turns into the third group to be granted Kenyan citizenship within the final decade after the Shona and the Makonde.
PS Bitok mentioned the federal government will overview the destiny of round 6,000 dwelling within the nation however whose communities are unrecognized and are subsequently considered stateless.
Talking on the identical occasion, Kilifi Governor Gideon Mungaro mentioned the popularity will defend Pemba fishermen from discrimination and harassment by legislation enforcers.
Kilifi North MP Owen Baya who fronted the Parliamentary laws that paved means for the Presidential decree on the Pemba urged the federal government to contemplate the group for state jobs beneath the marginalized teams class.
The occasion was additionally attended by the United Nations Excessive Fee for Refugees consultant to Kenya, Caroline Buren.
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