The government has wrapped up a three-day validation workshop on the proposed Births and Deaths Registration Bill 2025. This initiative aims to modernize Kenya’s civil registration system and enhance access to legal identity.
Organized by the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services through the Civil Registration Service (CRS) on March 5, 2026, the workshop focused on refining the draft law before it moves to public participation and legislative review.
Civil Registration Service Secretary Paul Mwangemi highlighted that the current Births and Deaths Registration Act (Cap 149) relies heavily on a paper-based system, which complicates record management and service accessibility.
“The existing Act is outdated and primarily paper-driven, creating operational challenges,” Mwangemi stated.
The proposed Bill aims to establish a modern legal framework that facilitates digital registration, enhances data protection, and improves nationwide access to civil registration services.
Additionally, the legislation addresses emerging legal and social issues, including the recognition of intersex individuals, surrogacy, adoption procedures, and handling presumed deaths.
Officials assert that this legislation will synchronize the civil registration system with new government initiatives, such as a national population database and the allocation of a Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) at birth.
These reforms follow President William Ruto’s recent assent to an amendment law mandating at least one civil registration office in each of the country’s 290 sub-counties, signed on February 19.
Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen expressed strong support for the reform process, emphasizing its link to ongoing efforts to enhance public institutions and service delivery.
“This review aligns with the government’s commitment to strengthening public institutions for efficient and inclusive services,” Murkomen stated.
He noted that this initiative is part of broader reforms under President Ruto’s administration aimed at modernizing government systems and improving public service delivery, accelerated by public requests during the ministry’s Jukwaa la Usalama tour.
Murkomen also acknowledged that these reforms aim to dismantle long-standing barriers that have hindered access to birth and death registration services.
“For too long, bureaucratic inefficiencies and limited service centers have restricted access to these essential services,” he remarked.
He indicated that the government is also considering eliminating application fees for birth certificates to encourage registration nationwide.
