The Ministry of Interior said on Tuesday, January 31, that the government will begin issuing digital birth and death certificates on March 1, 2023.
Immigration and Citizen Services PS Julius Bitok stated that the implementation of a Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) digital card will occur concurrently with the beginning of online services.
According to Bitok, all services would be accessed through e-citizen, and the UPI will serve as a lifetime ID for babies. Children with Kenyan citizenship will receive the Identifier throughout the country.
“The government is moving towards digitizing and making civil registration services online. From the 31st of March, all registrations of death and birth will be online through the e-citizen. The UPI becomes your number as long as you are alive,” he said.
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It will also be implemented for children born outside the country to Kenyan nationals who are qualified for Kenyan citizenship in accordance with the Births and Deaths Registration Act.UPI will also be used as the death certificate number in cases of death.
Parents must present a birth certificate, both parents’ identity numbers, or, in the event that both parents are deceased, a death certificate.
Parents, guardians of newborns, rescue centers, or children’s homes caring for youngsters are among those who are eligible for this service.
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According to the government, a birth certificate with no alterations will cost Ksh60, those with amendments to the child’s name will cost Ksh100, and those with amendments to the parent’s name will cost Ksh100.
Following the submission of a few requirements to the government, death certificates will also be accessible on the digital platform.
The Universal Personal Identification Number (UPI), in addition to being used for birth and death registration, can also be used as a school admission number and as the index number for national exams.
This follows the government’s plan to offer 5,000 government services through technological platforms in the upcoming six months.
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