Outcry of hike of registration fees

Uasin Gishu,

Saturday November 11, 2023

KNA by Abigael Cherono and Velma Lumbasi

Residents of Uasin Gishu County have raised concerns following the new announcement by the Ministry of Interior on increase fees levied on various government services at the Civil Registrar’s Office.

 They cited the increase of fees for application of documents like Identification Cards, Passports, Marriage Certificates and other related services saying the new charges were beyond the reach of ordinary Kenyans.

In the new announcement made on Tuesday through national gazette notice dated November 7, 2023, one will be required to pay Sh 1000 to obtain a new ID card and Sh 2000 to replace a lost ID.

For Passport, Kenyans will pay Sh7500 up from Sh 4500 for the ordinary 34 pages booklet and the ordinary passport (50 pages) will now cost Sh9,500 from Sh6,000 and the ordinary passport (66 pages) will cost Sh12,000 to Sh7,500.

Furthermore, citizens seeking to replace their lost passports will part with Sh20,00 from Sh12,000, while those seeking to replace a valid mutilated passport will be required to pay Sh 20,000 from Sh10, 000.

The new charges come after the interior CS declared to restore sanity at the immigration department and rid off corruption and other malpractices at the public office following public outcry over delayed processing of the travel documents.

Under the new circular, the Marriage certificates will now cost Kenyan spouses 10 times up to Sh50,000 at the Attorney General's (AG's) office up from Sh5,000 currently.

The people living together as husband and wife without a valid marriage certificate will be forced to pay Sh 2500 per month.

Birth certificates will cost Sh 200 from Sh 50, late registration Sh 500 from 150, death certificate 200 from 50 and late registration of death Sh 500 from Sh 150.

Michael Karanja, a shoemaker in the streets of Eldoret town, complained that the new charges on obtaining a new ID and replacing a lost or mutilated one are unfair, calling on the government to revise the prices down since that will discourage citizens from seeking to have the crucial identification document.

According to residents, the government should have added an affordable amount that people from humble backgrounds should also afford to pay for it.

Regarding the issue of ‘come we stay marriages’, Karanja said that many people will be afraid of getting married since they will be required to pay monthly charges of Sh 2500 before obtaining a valid marriage certificate.

He added that the hefty marriage processing fees will scare many unmarried individuals from solemnizing their unions.

He cited the pressing economic hardship as another challenge that will render people unable to raise money for the said new civil registration charges.

 On his part, Joseph Mulongo a bodaboda operator in Eldoret town urged the government to involve the public before making weighty decisions that involve them like the new fees, saying citizen’s input could have assisted in developing an agreeable rate for civil services.

Courtesy; KNA