Issuance of birth certificates will starting July take a day after application, Interior CS Fred Matiang’i has announced.
Speaking during a high level security meeting in Mombasa, the bullish CS also noted that all crucial documents; national identity (ID) card, passports, death certificates, will also be processed within 24 hours upon application.
“…Change in our processes, procedures and attitudes cannot be over-emphasized. By 1st of July this year, issuance of ID cards, birth and death certificates and passports shall be a same-day service, except for applicants originating from outside of Nairobi and abroad.
“… I shall hold the County Commissioners responsible for, in particular, immigration services, registration of persons and issuance of birth and death certificates in their counties,” he said.
Last week, the CS said passports will be processed within three days instead of the normal 5 to 7 days.
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In October, Matiang’i alongside his PS Karanja Kibicho stormed the Civil Registration Bureau (CRB) where corrupt officials were arrested by DCI detectives.
The officers were accused of soliciting bribes from the public to process birth and death certificates.
Then, Inspector general of Police Hillary Mutyambai released a list of officers from the agency being sought over graft claims.
On the list was CRB regional coordinator Paul Kagiri, principal records officer Charles Akwoni, principal civil registration officer Charity Mwadime, her assistant, Jane Maina among others.
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A month later, Matiang’i announced that Huduma Centres will start offering birth and death registration services, beginning November 2, 2019.
“In the last one year we have tried all manner of tricks with this department including transfer some people, giving them a pep talk, training them and even trying to explain to them that we should not frustrate our people but its all fallen on deaf ears.
“People have turned public service into a business and you have to bribe to get a service…We are not going to work that way! We will work like responsible and decent public servants,” he added.
The crackdown followed complaints of slow processing of certificates most especially parents with school going children.
Last month, the Ministry of Education, noted that at least 3,463,719 children in primary schools do not have birth certificates across the country, while another 68,265 students in Secondary schools also lack the crucial document.
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