Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has scrapped authentication fees for birth certificates when applying for national identity cards and passports.
Speaking in Homa Bay County on Tuesday, Murkomen said the directive takes effect immediately, adding that the move was aimed at eliminating financial barriers that make it harder for Kenyans to access crucial documents.
“Effective today, the civil registration services will no longer charge any authentication fees for a birth certificate when applying for ID and passports. This step removes unnecessary financial barriers and aligns with our vision to simplify ID access,” he declared.
The CS further revealed that the government is working on a policy shift that will abolish fees for birth and death certificates to ensure universal access, regardless of location or income levels. He also disclosed plans to review the cost of replacing a lost ID, which currently stands at Sh1,050, with the aim of lowering the amount.
To improve service delivery, Murkomen announced that his ministry is rolling out a digital platform to allow Kenyans to apply for IDs online and track progress in real time. In addition, more civil registration offices will be built across the country.
“We want to ensure a seamless citizen-centric approach to identity services,” he said.
Murkomen also said the government is undertaking a policy review to recognise and document small and unrecognised communities that still face systemic challenges in accessing documentation.
The CS urged Kenyans who are yet to apply for or collect their processed ID cards to do so promptly ahead of the 2027 General Election. He also hit out at politicians whom he accused of trying to undermine the government’s decision to abolish ID vetting in North-Eastern counties.
