The government has commenced the registration of over 5,000 members of the Pemba Community ahead of conferment of Kenyan citizenship following President William Ruto’s directive.
Speaking in Kilifi County on Wednesday, Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Julius Bitok said Kenya will review statelessness of other unrecognized communities living in Kenya.
“Today’s event therefore marks the official commencement of an important occasion and the implementation of the President’s directive. The grant of citizenship means the Pemba now are officially recognized as a Kenyan community with all the rights and benefits conferred by our nationality,” Bitok said.
The registration follows President Ruto’s formal recognition of the Pemba as an ethnic community in Kenya on January 31, 2023.
In a Special Gazette Notice, the President said that the Kenyans of the Pemba Heritage will now be issued with relevant identification in accordance with the Constitution.
The Head of State gave the directive following recommendations of the National Assembly which in 2020 considered a petition to have the Pemba Community recognized as citizens of Kenya.
The Head of State observed that the Pemba Community is part of the 16 Swahili dialects of the traditional Swahili living in parts of Kwale, Mombasa and Kilifi counties in Kenya.
In addition, the President ordered that all persons, bodies and authorities within the Republic of Kenya shall recognize the Pemba community as an ethnic community of Kenya.
The Pemba community — whose population is estimated at more than 8,000 — have over the years petitioned for recognition as citizens of Kenya.
The community, other than being mostly domiciled in Kilifi county, is also scattered across Lamu, Mombasa and Kwale counties.
Their main economic activity is deep-sea fishing thus contributing immensely to the country’s income accrued from maritime activities.