What is this bill about?
The Kenya Citizenship and Immigration (Amendment) Bill, 2025 proposes changes to the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act, Cap. 170. It was sponsored by Hon. Owen Yaa Baya, MP, and received by the National Assembly on 13th February 2026.
What it actually changes
- Section 15 (Stateless Persons): A stateless person who has no enforceable claim to citizenship of any recognized state, and who has habitually resided in Kenya since 12th December 1963, may apply for Kenyan citizenship. The bill keeps this framework but expands the communication requirement to include disability-friendly formats and adds conditions around good conduct and civic knowledge.
- Section 16 (Migrants): Removes the existing time limit governing when migrants can apply for citizenship, without replacing it with any alternative threshold or safeguard.
Key Concerns
- Section 16 creates a gap in the law -- the time limit is removed but nothing replaces it. No minimum residency period, no enhanced vetting, no criteria of any kind.
- All authority is vested in the Cabinet Secretary with no independent check on citizenship registration decisions.
Public participation deadline: Tuesday, 24th March 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
Memoranda can be emailed to cna@parliament.go.ke or hand-delivered to the Office of the Clerk, Main Parliament Buildings, Nairobi.
Memoranda can be emailed to cna@parliament.go.ke or hand-delivered to the Office of the Clerk, Main Parliament Buildings, Nairobi.
The full bill is available for your review:
Select Recipients
The Clerk, Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security, National Assembly of Kenya
cna@parliament.go.ke