The government is set to establish birth and death registration offices in every constituency to ensure timely access to critical documents.
On Friday, May 17, Immigration Principal Secretary Julius Bitok announced that the government, in collaboration with legislators and other leaders, is working to open civil registration offices in constituencies currently lacking these services.
In addition to civil registration, the new offices will also house the National Registration Bureau and Immigration officers to provide comprehensive services.
“Our plan is to ensure we have offices in all the 290 constituencies in the country. Currently, we are at 170, but we want to roll it out across the country because the Kenya Kwanza government is focused on having these services at the grassroots," Bitok stated.
Bitok highlighted the Moiben office in Uasin Gishu County as an example, noting that it will serve residents who previously had to travel to Eldoret town for these services.
“Our constituency is rural, and moving from here to Eldoret town to seek these services has been a very difficult journey. Now, we have brought it closer to the people, and it will not only serve Moiben but also neighboring constituencies like Marakwet, Trans Nzoia, Soy, and Ainabkoi," he noted.
He emphasized that chiefs and their assistants would play a crucial role in mobilizing eligible Kenyans to register for the new digital ID cards. Registration requires scanning one's face or fingerprint, which is captured into the system as a unique identifier. The ID card will contain personal information and be essential for accessing government services.
Additionally, every Kenyan will have a Unique Personal Identification (UPI) number that will be used throughout their lifetime. This data will be maintained by a registrar in the registration office.
To obtain a birth or death certificate, Kenyans will pay Ksh200. Late registration of these certificates will incur a fee of Ksh500. For a digital ID card, applicants will pay Ksh300, while replacements will cost Ksh1,000.