The department of Civil Registration has opened offices in all six Sub Counties of Vihiga County, aimed at taking services closer to the people.
In an interview with KNA at his office, Sabatia Sub County Civil Registrar Edwin Nganga said they have now opened offices in all the Sub Counties so that citizens can access services easily.
Nganga said initially residents of Sabatia Sub County had to travel all the way to Mbale at the County headquarters to process their birth and death certificates, which was very costly and inconvenient for them.
He said that since April 13, 2026 when the Sabatia office was officially opened and work started, he has issued over 50 birth certificates and six death certificates.
He advised residents to ensure they go to process and collect the birth certificates of their children within three months of registrations to avoid crowding at the office when the birth certificates are needed in schools for registration.
He asked the area assistant chiefs to ensure they take returns of births and deaths and issued birth notifications and burial permits, respectively, every month so that the birth and death certificates are processed on time.
The civil registrar urged residents to be honest and give the correct information when seeking birth certificates saying some residents are not producing the necessary documents during registration of births.
“I will not issue birth certificates to applicants who do not have the necessary documents, since child trafficking is rampant in Sabatia Sub County and I am suspecting that some of the people coming to the office without the required documents might be suspects,” said Nganga.
He added that when he asks the applicants to produce necessary documents to facilitate registration, most of them have a similar narrative as they say the documents were burned in their houses.
A resident of Mudete in Sabatia Sub County, Jackline Muhonja, who was interviewed by KNA commended the government for opening an office close to them saying they do not have to go and crowd in the county office to get services.
Muhonja added that they are happy as residents since some of them can even walk on foot to go and process their birth and death certificates, unlike previously when they were forced to use a lot of money on transport to go to Mbale to seek the same services.
The sixth office was also opened in Tiriki East Sub County at Shaviringa to serve the local population.
by Maureen Imbayi
