By Obegi Malack
The National government will, from the beginning of March this year, introduce a digital programme where birth and death certificates will be issued online.
Speaking in Ngong, Kajiado North constituency during the opening of the Civil Registration Services office recently, Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary (PS) Prof. Julius Bitok said the new registration will reduce the time taken for one to get either of the certificates.
The PS said the programme, dubbed Unique Personal Identifier (UPI), will be used to register newborns and will serve as their unique identity number.
The UPI will be used by the newborns for admission to schools, other institutions and every other government service even after attaining 18 years.
“The UPI number which will be accessed through e-citizen services, will be given when one is born and the children will use that number in schools, in college and use it as an ID as it becomes their number for whatever transaction,” Bitok stated.
He said there has been a challenge in registration of persons in Kajiado due to the amount of fare it takes for one to access the only centre in Kajiado.
The introduction of the UPI will see the government raise the percentage of both registered births and deaths in the country that currently stand at 86 percent and 55 percent respectively.
The UPI number works the same way as the Huduma Number, which the PS clarified that it has not been substituted.
Kajiado North MP Onesmus Ngogoyo said his constituents used to spend more than Ksh 2,000 to access the documents in Kajiado.
Furthermore, most residents get difficulties when enrolling their children in schools during national examinations without the crucial documents.
In Kajiado County, the statistics for birth and death registration currently stands at 85 and 31 per cent respectively but residents will now get the document in a day.
The function was also attended by Environment PS Ephantus Kimotho who said that the government will fence Oloolua forest and also plant more trees in the region to curb drought facing the arid region.
