Govt Reduces Wait Time for Birth and Death Certificates
The Kenyan government has recently announced a reduction in the period for application and issuance of birth and death certificates.
The Principal Secretary of Immigration and Citizen Services, Julius Bitok, stated that Kenyans will now receive these certificates on the same day of application.
In order to ensure this, Bitok has directed that those seeking birth certificates should come in the morning, and by evening, they will have the certificate ready.
He emphasized that there will be no waiting longer, thereby offering relief to many applicants.
The government is keen on ensuring that all services are digitized to ease access and save time. The PS further stated that the government is committed to making the process of obtaining birth and death certificates as easy as possible for Kenyan residents.
“There will be no waiting longer,” the PS disclosed, offering relief to many applicants.
He also highlighted the importance of these certificates, especially in dividing an inheritance. Unregistered deaths, which are estimated to be at 45 out of every 100 deaths, can lead to difficulties for families in inheriting the property of a deceased person. In other cases, unregistered deaths can result in dead people voting and other illegal activities.
To promote the newly opened offices for civil registration, Bitok has pledged to cover the bills of the first 1,000 residents to visit the offices. The government’s acquisition of at least 100,000 passport booklets has also been announced in response to an uproar from Kenyans.
However, the Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kithure Kindiki, has lamented that the shortage of birth certificates and IDs is due to insufficient resources. He stated that citizens should receive birth certificates, IDs, and passports within 21 days.
Govt Reduces Wait Time for Birth and Death Certificates