Kenyan MPs Oppose Fee Increases for ID, Birth Certificates

Kenyan lawmakers expressed strong reservations regarding increased fees for essential services provided by the State Department of Immigration and Citizen Services.

In a recent parliamentary session, the focus was primarily on the heightened costs associated with obtaining national identity cards and birth certificates. Lawmakers argue that these expenses should be more manageable to promote wider applications among the citizenry. Samuel Chepkong’a, chairperson of the Delegated Legislation Committee, is particularly critical of the recent fee hikes, especially those imposed on new identity cards and document replacements. He stresses the importance of lowering these costs to enhance accessibility for all Kenyans.

During a review meeting of the proposed regulations, Principal Secretary Julius Bitok faced pointed questions from MPs about the notable increases in fees. Gichugu MP Robert Gichimu raised concerns about the rationale for charging citizens who need to correct errors in their documents a fee that exceeds three times that of new applicants. He argues that mistakes could arise from staff error, suggesting that the financial burden for these corrections should not fall on the citizens.

The regulations subject to review include the Registration of Persons (Amendment) Rules, 2024, and the Births and Deaths Registration (Amendment) Rules, 2024. Notably, a new charge of Sh300 for applying for an ID card is proposed, a process that was previously free. Additionally, individuals who lose their ID cards or seek to update their information would now be required to pay Sh1,000, an increase from the current fee of Sh100.

Several MPs, including Pauline Lenguris (Samburu), Kibet Komingoi (Bureti), and John Paul Mwirigi (Igembe South), have voiced their support for the call to reduce these fees, citing the economic challenges faced by many Kenyans. Lenguris emphasizes the growing concern regarding rising fees for government documents and services, urging caution to avoid further financial strain on ordinary citizens. Komingoi questions the appropriateness of such high fees, particularly considering the government’s shift toward digitalization.

In their defence, some lawmakers assert that the fee revisions were necessary due to inflationary pressures. They note that the existing fee structure had not been adjusted for 36 years, during which time inflation had dramatically increased. The rising costs of materials are also highlighted as a contributing factor to the proposed changes. Chepkong’a specifically addresses the increase in re-registration fees for birth certificates from Sh100 to Sh1,000, suggesting that this fee be capped at Sh500.