The government Friday urged residents of Kuresoi in Nakuru County to take advantage of the newly opened births and deaths registration office to avoid paying higher charges for late application for the vital documents.
Immigration Principal Secretary Julius Bitok said the new Civil Registration Services office in Kuresoi town which is the seventh in Nakuru County hopes to capture all births and deaths in the county from the current levels of 85 and 54 percent, respectively.
He said the new office will offer same-day service and thereby providing a reprieve in time and money to residents who have been commuting long distances to obtain birth and death certificates for their loved ones.
“Some of you have told us that you have been forced to have fewer kids than you’d have preferred due to difficulties in obtaining birth certificates for your children. With this new office, you have a reason to reconsider your decision. You will no longer have to travel all the way to Molo, Nakuru or even Bomet.”
The fees for the registration of births and deaths that occur within six months of the date of application is Sh200 but the charge rises to Sh500 beyond that period for what is considered belated registration.
The PS said besides Kuresoi which is the 164th CRS office in the country, the government plans to open 100 additional offices to ease access to registration services and meet a rise in demand for birth and death certificates.
He emphasized the benefits of birth registration such as access to education, issuance of identification documents, and citizenship determination. Birth registration statistics aid in government planning, as they form the basis for resources allocation.
On the other hand, death registration facilitates family and corporate succession besides enabling a more accurate data on demographics that can inform policies on health, sanitation, diet, and other lifestyle interventions.
“Birth certificate is a critical identity document. Without it a child cannot access government services such as enrollment to school. Without it, it means the government does not recognize you and therefore you’ve not been factored in CDF and other public funds allocations,” he said.
Although the registration of birth and death registration is compulsory in Kenya, the national average is 76 and 45 percent for births and deaths respectively with the statistics dipping as low as below 30 percent in some counties.
The PS hailed effective birth registration as the foundation for a successful rollout of Maisha Namba and Maisha card.
The number in the birth certificate will serve as Maisha Namba which will be a lifelong number that will transit to the ID number of the new Maisha card.
The same number will apply as the registration number to access government services including health and education.
He encouraged residents to register for the Maisha Card and advised those who have already applied to promptly collect their cards from the registration stations, emphasising the card’s advanced features that enhance access to government services.
Kuresoi South MP Joseph Tonui noted that the new registration office will greatly benefit residents who faced challenges obtaining birth and death certificates.
Also present was the Nakuru County Woman representative Liz Chelule and Kuresoi North Alfred Mutai and other local leaders.
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