The Kenyan government is considering waiving application fees for birth and death certificates, and will decentralize civil registration services to constituency-level ID registration centers to improve access. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced the plans, stating that President William Ruto is expected to make a final pronouncement soon.

• The proposal aims to boost civil registration, mirroring a successful waiver of National Identity Card registration fees.
• Historically, high costs and long distances to registration offices have hindered access, particularly in rural areas.
• The current cost for a standard Kenyan birth or death certificate is Ksh200, with late registration fees of Ksh500 and re-registration costs of Ksh1,000.
• These changes are expected to ease access to crucial documents needed for school enrolment, healthcare, and employment.