Gov't moves to modernise civil registration as stakeholders validate Births and Deaths Registration Bill

Stakeholders from government institutions and development partners have convened for a three-day validation workshop to review the Births and Deaths Registration Bill 2025, a key legislative proposal to modernise Kenya’s civil registration system and improve access to legal identity for all citizens.

The exercise is being undertaken by the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services through the Civil Registration Service (CRS) as part of ongoing reforms within the Ministry of Interior and National Administration.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has expressed support for the process, noting that the proposed legal reforms form part of wider institutional improvements initiated following public engagements during the Jukwaa la Usalama forums held across the country.

CS Murkomen has consistently emphasised the need to strengthen service delivery within the ministry’s departments, with feedback from the security and governance forums informing reforms aimed at improving efficiency, transparency, and accessibility of government services.

The initiative also reflects the President's broader governance agenda to strengthen public institutions and modernise government systems to deliver efficient services to citizens. The administration has prioritised digitisation and improved population data management as part of its efforts to enhance planning, governance, and access to public services.

The Civil Registration Service Secretary, Paul Mwangemi, noted that the current Births and Deaths Registration Act (Cap 149) is outdated and largely based on a paper-driven registration system, which has presented operational challenges in record management and service accessibility.

The proposed Bill seeks to introduce a modern legal framework that supports digital registration processes and the use of technology in the creation and preservation of records.

The reforms are also designed to address emerging legal and social developments affecting civil registration, including issues related to data protection, access to information, recognition of intersex persons, surrogacy arrangements, adoption-related re-registration of births, and the management of presumed deaths.

Additionally, the proposed law will align civil registration with new policy directions such as the establishment of a national population database, the proposed allocation of a Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) at birth, and the broader concept of legal identity, including nationality at birth.

Participants at the validation workshop are expected to review the draft legislation, validate the State Department’s input, and provide recommendations ahead of the public participation process before the Bill is presented for legislative consideration.

The workshop has also received technical and financial support from partners, including Vital Strategies and the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), who are supporting the government’s efforts to strengthen civil registration and vital statistics systems.

Once enacted, the Births and Deaths Registration Bill 2025 is expected to establish a modern, inclusive, and technology-driven civil registration system, ensuring that every Kenyan is accounted for from birth while strengthening the country’s national data and service delivery frameworks.