Residents of Kajiado North can now receive birth certificates from their sub-county following the establishment of a civil registration office at the Ngong DCC offices two years ago.
Civil Registration Officer Mercy Chepkorir said the office has eased access to birth registration services for residents, reducing the need to travel long distances to Kajiado for processing.
“The Civil Registration Office opened here at Ngong DCC Offices issues birth certificates for Kajiado North Sub-county residents. If applicants have all the required documents, processing takes only two working days,” said Chepkorir.
She urged residents to avoid middlemen who demand bribes while pretending to facilitate the process.
Chepkorir explained to KNA that birth registration begins immediately after delivery in hospitals and health facilities through the issuance of a birth notification document.
She noted that current birth registration costs Sh210, while late registration, done after six months, costs Ksh510 through the e-Citizen platform.
For late registration, parents are required to present documents including a form from the area chief, the child’s clinic or vaccination card, and parents’ identification cards.
She added that replacement of lost birth certificates attracts the same charges as current applications, while amendments, such as the correction of names, cost Sh1,000.
Chepkorir also revealed that the government now recognizes intersex persons during birth registration, meaning applicants are no longer limited to male or female categories.
However, she noted that delays in processing may occur when hospitals submit birth records late or when there is a backlog of applications, especially in January when many parents seek documents for school admissions.
Residents of Ngong have welcomed the improved services, saying the process has become faster and more efficient.
“I applied for my child’s birth certificate at Ngong Sub-county Hospital, and after submitting the notification at the Civil Registration Office, I was asked to collect the certificate after one week,” Ruth Ashuma, a resident from Ngong town, said.
She told KNA that the process is now simpler and faster compared to previous years, where they used to travel all the way to Kajiado to register and it even took longer for them to receive the birth certificates.
Civil registration officials have encouraged residents to register births early to avoid delays and ensure children access essential services such as education and healthcare without difficulties.
By Peter Muteti
