Kenya to Waive Fees for Birth, Death Certificates

The government plans to eliminate application fees for birth certificates to enhance civil registration nationwide, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced. During the inauguration of the Assistant County Commissioner’s office in Inoi Division, Kirinyaga County on Wednesday January 28, Murkomen stated that President William Ruto will make the final decision once consultations with key stakeholders are completed. Murkomen highlighted that this initiative follows the government’s previous exemption of fees for national identity card registration, which substantially increased participation rates. ‘The President is evaluating various aspects of this issue, and you will be informed soon. This will mirror the waiver of ID registration and application fees to help us document more births in accordance with the government’s manifesto,’ Murkomen explained. He further noted that exorbitant costs and long distances to registration centers have historically prevented many Kenyans, especially in rural regions, from obtaining birth certificates. At the same event, officials discussed bringing civil registration services closer to the public. Under the new system, civil registration offices will be established at Constituency ID registration centers, allowing Kenyans to apply for birth and death certificates. ‘We have also agreed to distribute civil registration offices throughout all constituencies to ensure more people register and access these vital documents,’ Murkomen stated. These modifications are anticipated to improve access to essential documents needed for school enrollment, healthcare, employment, and other government services. According to the Births and Deaths Registration Rules published by the Ministry of Interior, the fee for a standard Kenyan birth certificate has been adjusted to Ksh200 from the previous Ksh50. The updated Kenya Gazette notice establishes the same charge for death certificates. For births registered more than six months after the actual birth date, the fee increases to Ksh500 for late registration. This late registration fee also applies to deaths reported tardily, ensuring records are updated despite delays. For re-registration, such as replacing a lost certificate or modifying a birth record, including name corrections, the fee has been set at Ksh1,000. In October of the previous year, fees were eliminated for replacing national identity cards and updating personal details, a measure designed to facilitate access to identification documents.