Mad rush for birth certificates

Sheria House was on Tuesday inundated with parents trying to obtain birth certificates for their children.

This follows a directive requiring all children to have birth certificates before joining school or even registering for national examinations.

There were long queues at the State Law Office as the parents, some with their children in tow, waited for hours to obtain the documents.

The new guidelines were announced last year by Education minister Sam Ongeri when he was releasing the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination results.

Tighten loopholes

He said the move was to help keep track of candidates and tighten loopholes that have led to impersonation during both primary and secondary national examinations.

Mr Elphas Joshua Kevase said he had gone to apply for a birth certificate after he was informed that his daughter might be locked out of this year’s examinations if she does not produce the document.

“I didn’t think the government was serious when it directed that all children be registered,” he told the Nation.

Mr Kevase said he had shuttled between City Hall and the State Law Office three times to process documents to enable him to get the birth certificate in good time.

Ms Wangeci Muthoni said she had waited all morning to present her papers at the State Law Office as the queue was long.

“My son had been admitted to Class One but he still does not have a birth certificate,” she said.

The proposal to have all children acquire birth certificates was first mooted by Immigration minister Otieno Kajwang’ last year.

The minister said the move would not only enable the government to identify people whose birth was not registered but also bridge the gap in the registration of births and deaths.