The National Assembly has successfully passed the Births and Deaths Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
If assented into law, it promises a significant expansion of access to essential civil registration services across Kenya.
Martha Wangari, the Gilgil MP, who is the sponsor of the bill, said that it directly addresses the current scarcity of civil registration offices.
The new law further details that it will shorten the distance to access these services, making them readily available to citizens, particularly those in remote and underserved areas.
The enactment of the law will particularly help those living in rural areas and marginalized communities. An act aimed at reducing the time required to obtain birth and death certificates, documents that help in accessing education, healthcare, employment, and other social services.
The key amendment is seeking to establish a more equitable distribution of these services by setting up at least one registration office in the 290 constituencies nationwide.
In detail, the law affirms that it will improve the accuracy and completeness of birth and death records, which are crucial for planning and development.
The third-time MP has also affirmed that by having more registration offices, it will be easier to collect the required data on births and deaths, which can be used to inform policies and allocate resources effectively during the budget-making processes.
In Kenya, birth and death certificates are foundational legal documents required for numerous essential services and rights, including school enrollment, access to medical care, and facilitating property succession.
Currently, Kenya has 143 operational birth and death registration offices across the country, primarily located in sub-counties and regional headquarters.
Signing of the bill will see an addition of 132 new birth and death centers.
