The Kenyan government plans to eliminate fees for birth and death certificates while expanding digital registration to hospitals nationwide. Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang announced the proposed fee waiver on November 9 before the National Assembly Committee on Administration and Internal Security. The government is preparing a Gazette notice to remove charges, with technical teams working to integrate hospital systems within 30 days.
Currently, a standard birth certificate in Kenya costs Sh200, with a Sh500 late-registration fee for parents registering a birth after six months. Amendments to birth and death certificates attract a Sh1,000 charge. The proposed waiver aims to remove these charges, although the Gazette notice had not yet been published when Kipsang made the announcement. Existing fees remain applicable until the formal change takes effect.
The digital system will connect the Civil Registration Services to the Ministry of Health's Hospital Management Information System. Hospitals will electronically transmit a baby's birth details to civil registration officials, reducing the need for parents to collect and present physical birth-notification documents. The integration is expected to cover over 7,500 public hospitals, with private facilities also participating.
After birth registration, parents will be able to access the certificate online and download or print it from anywhere. This could reduce trips families make to hospitals, Huduma Centres, and civil registration offices. The system has already been piloted in parts of the country, and the latest announcement focuses on completing technical integration and extending access to more health facilities.
The Unique Personal Identifier, also known as Maisha Namba, is a number assigned to a person's civil registration record. It provides a consistent identity reference from birth through adulthood and eventually death. The 2024 amendments to the Births and Deaths Registration Rules provide for registrars to assign a unique personal identification number when a birth is entered in the register.
At 18, the UPI is expected to transition into the national identity number when the individual applies for an ID card and supplies biometric information. A newborn will not receive a physical national ID card; the UPI is the lifelong identifying number. The government says the digital expansion will make the process faster and reduce the cost of obtaining essential identity documents.
Until the fee waiver is formally gazetted, parents should continue using existing Civil Registration Services procedures and applicable charges. For births in health facilities, the birth notification remains the starting document for registration. Parents should ensure the child's details are correctly captured before applying for the certificate.
Key points
- The Kenyan government plans to eliminate fees for birth and death certificates.
- The digital system will connect over 7,500 public hospitals to civil registration services.
- The Unique Personal Identifier, or Maisha Namba, will provide a lifelong identity reference.
