- PS Bitok said the government plans to open 100 additional offices countrywide to ease access to registration services and meet a rise in demand.
- The new Civil Registration Services office in Kuresoi town is the seventh in Nakuru county.
Image: HANDOUT
Residents of Kuresoi in Nakuru county have gotten reprieve after the government opened a new births and deaths registration office.
The government urged the residents to take advantage of the newly opened office to avoid paying higher charges for late application for vital documents.
The new Civil Registration Services office in Kuresoi town is the seventh in Nakuru county.
Immigration PS Julius Bitok said the office will help to capture all births and deaths in the county from the current levels of 85 and 54 per cent respectively.
He said the new office will offer same-day service and provide reprieve in terms of time and money residents have been spending to commute long distances to obtain birth and death certificates.
"Some of you have told us that you have been forced to have fewer children than you would 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 to Molo, Nakuru or even Bomet," he said.
The PS added that the fee for the registration of births and deaths that occur within six months of the date of application is Sh200 but the charges rise to Sh500 beyond the period for late registration.
PS Bitok said the government plans to open 100 additional offices countrywide to ease access to registration services and meet a rise in demand for birth and death certificates.
He emphasised the benefits of birth registration such as access to education, issuance of identification documents, and citizenship determination.
Bitok said birth registration statistics help the government in planning, as they form the basis for resource allocation.
He added that death registration facilitates family and corporate succession besides enabling more accurate data on demographics that can inform policies on health, sanitation, diet and other lifestyle interventions.
"A birth certificate is a critical identity document. Without it, a child cannot access government services such as enrollment in school. Without it, it means the government does not recognise you and therefore you have not been factored in CDF and other public funds allocations," Bitok said.
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The PS added that although the registration of births and deaths registration is compulsory in Kenya, the national average is 76 and 45 per cent for births and deaths respectively with the statistics dipping as low as below 30 per cent in some counties.
Bitok hailed effective birth registration as the foundation for a successful rollout of the Maisha Namba and Maisha cards.
He said the number on the birth certificate will be a lifelong number that will transit to the ID number of the new Maisha card.
The PS further added that 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 their registration stations, emphasising that the card's advanced features 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.
Leaders present were the Nakuru county Woman representative Liz Chelule, Kuresoi North MP Alfred Mutai and a host of local leaders.