Kirinyaga: Kenyans will soon enjoy faster and more accessible civil registration services following new government reforms aimed at easing the process of acquiring national identification cards, birth certificates, and other key documents. Speaking during a security forum (Jukwaa la Usalama) in Kirinyaga, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced that the government is adopting digital technology to accelerate service delivery.
According to Kenya News Agency, under the reforms, new ID applicants will now receive their documents within three days, thanks to the digital processing of soft copies. The CS further assured that first-time applicants will not be charged any fee, reaffirming that access to identification is a constitutional right.
Murkomen noted that Kirinyaga currently has three civil registration offices, with plans to open a fourth before the end of the year. He said the long-term goal is to ensure every sub-county in Kenya has a registration office, saving citizens from long and costly journeys in search of essential services.
He also commended the establishment of 12 national government service stations in Kirinyaga, where residents can already access IDs, adding that this aligns with the broader vision to eventually have a Huduma Centre in every sub-county nationwide.
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru welcomed the reforms and praised the national government for embracing technology to speed up service delivery. She urged further devolution of services to the sub-county level to bring government even closer to the people.
Alongside the reforms, the CS also handed over a modern carwash machine to Highway Jikuzee Carwash, a youth group of 10 supported by Kerugoya Ward MCA Erick Muchina. The group had been operating manually but will now benefit from improved efficiency and increased income.
'This is a clear example of how the Kenya Kwanza government is ensuring that every hustle matters,' Murkomen said, encouraging young people to focus on building livelihoods instead of being lured into crime or political violence. He assured continued government support for initiatives that empower youth and uplift communities.