Pemba tribe welcomes President Ruto's move to give them Kenyan citizenship
Some of the representatives of the Pemba community from Kilifi, Mombasa and Kwale counties when they mey at the Lungalunga CDF office in Kwale County on February 14, 2022.They met legislators to address their plight as stateless people in Kenya
Freedom has come for 7,000 members of the Pemba community who have lived in Kenya for decades with no document to prove their citizenship.
The community which is domiciled in Coast has been suffering due to lack of crucial documents have always denied them critical government and social services.
However, when Kenya was celebrating its 59th Jamhuri Day, President William Ruto said he has commenced the process to confer citizenship to the Pemba people living in Kilifi County.
The community has been renewing its calls to the government to recognise them as Kenyans.
“Our determination to live as one indivisible national family cannot be compromised. Our pursuit of inclusion is irrevocable. We must continue to resolve injustices of a historical character that have unfairly relegated people to the margins of statelessness when their inalienable rights of citizenship are guaranteed under the Constitution,” said the President.
“The Government of Kenya has commenced the process to confer citizenship to the Pemba people living in Kilifi County,” said the Head of State while celebrating 59 years of Kenya’s self-rule.
Kenya Pemba community chairperson Shaane Hamisi Makame welcomed the announcement saying it was long overdue.
He said they have been arrested repeatedly by police officers and the Kenya Coast Guard while fishing because they don’t have identity cards.
“We have always been arrested because officials think we are Tanzanians fishing in Kenyan waters illegally. "I am happy that the state has finally been recognized. We will now be able to enter any state office and get services because we were not recognised. We are planning a massive party dubbed Pemba Day, we were in Nairobi when President was making the declaration," said Mr Makame.
"President Ruto has today committed that the Govt will ensure the Pemba Community in Kenya, who have long suffered without identity, acquire citizenship. We applaud the govt for its significant commitment to affirming citizenship rights for all," said KHRC on Twitter.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has been urging the Parliament to recognize the community that originated from Tanzania.
Some of the things they were denied for being stateless include free health insurance and financial inclusion due to lack of Identification Cards.
"After years of advocacy by partner organisations, this is a significant opportunity to guarantee the enjoyment of citizenship rights by all stateless communities in Kenya. This follows the award of citizenship for the Shona & Rwandese communities in Kenya in 2020," added KHCR.
Kilifi MP Owen Baya, who presented their petition in Parliament, took to social media to celebrate their near recognition.
"Congratulations to the Pemba Community for attaining Kenyan Citizenship," said Mr Baya.
MPs and rights organisations have been pushing for the recognition of the stateless Pemba community.
The National Assembly had adopted the report by the National Security and Administration Committee to grant Pembas citizenship.
Led by MP Baya and activists had earlier petitioned government to review the long-standing push for recognition of Pembas as Kenyans.
In March last year, the committee on the government's request visited the community and embarked on the process of acquiring data about the Pembas to prompt for their registration.
In 2016, both Makonde and Pembas marched to statehouse calling an end to statelessness.
The Makonde were later granted citizenship but Pembas were left out because they couldn't convince the government why they should be given citizenship.
