“ID si kitu ya kunyima mtu!” – Senator Cheruiyot Stirs Storm With Somali Vetting Remarks

Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot has lit up the political scene after boldly declaring that Somalis should not be subjected to vetting before being issued Kenyan IDs.

In a fiery statement, Cheruiyot asked:

“Karatasi inaitwa ID ni kitu ya kunyima mtu?”

His remarks have sparked outrage, with critics accusing him of playing politics at the expense of national security.

Almost immediately, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) hit back in a scathing tweet, warning that the Senator’s words were “reckless and dangerous.”

“See the reckless remarks that the Kenya Kwisha leaders are uttering. What is more important to them is securing re-election bids more than the country’s security,” the party wrote.

The vetting of Kenyan Somalis has long been a hot-button issue, with the government defending it as a necessary security measure against illegal infiltration. But rights groups and politicians like Cheruiyot insist it’s discriminatory and treats legitimate Kenyan citizens like outsiders.

Now, with the 2027 elections looming, Cheruiyot’s comments have thrown fresh fuel into the already heated debate — leaving Kenyans divided: Is this a fight for justice, or a dangerous gamble with security?