A new bill before Parliament could mark a turning point for thousands of stateless people in Kenya, even as it sparks heated debate over national security and political motives.
The Kenya Citizenship and Immigration (Amendment) Bill, 2025, sponsored by Kilifi North MP Owen Baya, proposes sweeping reforms to the country’s citizenship laws. If passed, it would establish a national register of stateless persons and remove long-standing barriers that have kept many communities in legal limbo for generations.
Under the proposed law, stateless residents would no longer face the seven-year application deadline currently required to seek citizenship.
The bill also relaxes language requirements, allowing applicants to demonstrate communication in Kiswahili, local dialects, or accessible formats for people with disabilities.
Additionally, it removes the need for applicants to declare an intention to permanently reside in Kenya — a clause that has often disqualified nomadic or displaced groups.
The reforms are expected to benefit an estimated 20,000 stateless individuals, including members of the Nubian community in Kibera, whose ancestors settled in Kenya over a century ago after serving in the British colonial army.
Advocates say the bill aligns with Kenya’s commitments under international frameworks to end statelessness and promote inclusion.
However, the proposal has ignited fierce online debate. Critics warn that easing citizenship pathways could open the door to security threats, including potential Al-Shabaab infiltration and electoral manipulation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Others point to past scandals involving fake passports issued to foreign militias as evidence of systemic vulnerabilities.
Despite the uproar, few public figures have stepped forward to defend the bill, leaving civil society groups and human rights advocates to argue that the reforms are long overdue.
If enacted, the amendment would represent one of the most significant overhauls of Kenya’s citizenship laws in decades — balancing the promise of belonging for thousands with the challenge of maintaining national security and public trust.
