The Kenyan government has revoked 900 birth certificates after they were reported lost from the Mutomo Registration Office, raising concerns about the management of official documents. The decision, announced on Tuesday, October 15, by the State Department of Immigration Services, was made public through the government’s MyGov platform.
The affected certificates fall within a specific range of serial numbers, including 1502001 to 1502900. Those in possession of these documents have been urged to return them to the Civil Registration Services at Hass Plaza in Nairobi for proper disposal.
Paul Mwangemi, Acting Secretary of Civil Registration Services, emphasized the importance of swift action, warning that the certificates are now invalid. “Any person(s) issued with any certificate bearing these serial numbers is advised to return them to the Secretary, Civil Registration Services, 4th floor, Hass Plaza Lower Hill,” the notice stated.
This development comes just weeks after the government disclosed the loss of nearly 400 title deeds, further fuelling concerns over the integrity of Kenya’s document management systems.
The disappearance of 367 security papers used for printing title deeds has prompted a separate investigation. Machakos Senator Kavindu Muthama has petitioned Parliament to investigate, citing the growing risk of land fraud. The Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning has attributed the issue to land cartels, while Senate Speaker Amason Kingi has directed the Lands Committee to lead the inquiry.
The committee is expected to question officials from the Ministry of Lands and the Government Printer to determine how the documents went missing and what measures are being taken to recover them. They will also review protocols for tracking missing documents and preventing their misuse in fraudulent land transactions.
The government has committed to raising public awareness about land fraud and is encouraging citizens to verify the authenticity of title deeds and related documents to safeguard their properties.
