The Cabinet has approved scrapping fees for birth certificates to make civil registration services more accessible to all Kenyans.
The decision was made during a Cabinet meeting chaired by President William Ruto as part of the government’s broader efforts to improve access to essential identification documents and support the transition to a fully digital identification system.
According to the Cabinet, removing the fees is expected to eliminate financial barriers that have prevented some Kenyans from obtaining birth certificates, a key document required for accessing a wide range of public services.
Currently, parents can register the birth of a child free of charge within six months. However, those applying for late birth registration or seeking replacement birth certificates must pay processing fees of up to KSh150.
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With the new directive, the government says these charges will be scrapped, making it easier for citizens to acquire the vital document.
Birth certificates are required when applying for national identity cards, passports, school registration and other government services. According to the Cabinet, abolishing the fees will encourage more Kenyans to register births and obtain the documents on time.
Easier Access to Vital Documents for All Kenyans
The government was set to eliminate the KSh200 fee charged for birth certificates as part of wide-ranging reforms intended to make vital registration documents more accessible and easier to obtain for millions of Kenyans.
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The plan formed part of a push toward digital services and could transform how citizens obtain birth and death certificates by eliminating long queues, brokers, and repeated visits to registration offices.
Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang said on June 25, while explaining the reforms, that the initiative was meant to streamline access to essential documents and ease the financial strain on households facing a high cost of living.
“If we are removing KSh300 for IDs and KSh1,000 for replacement, then we will also discuss removing the birth certificate fee to make it easy for Kenyans to get the documents they need,” stated Kipsang
Under the proposed system, newborns delivered in hospitals will be assigned a Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) immediately, enabling parents to print birth certificates at cyber cafés without having to go to civil registration offices in person.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced that starting June 22, Kenyans could download and print a birth certificate online directly from home, eliminating the need to visit Huduma centers or civil registry offices.
“Kenyans can now download and print birth certificates online, a significant step towards improving accessibility and reducing the time required to obtain essential documents,” he said.
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