The government has ruled out reducing the cost of applying for a birth certificate from KSh200 to the previous KSh50, saying the current fee reflects changes in the cost of providing the service over the years.
The Ministry of Interior and National Administration maintained that the revised charges would remain in place despite concerns raised by Members of Parliament over the increase.
The ministry’s position was presented in the National Assembly by Administration and Internal Security Committee chairperson Gabriel Tongoyo in a statement from Immigration Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang.
Kipsang said the KSh50 fee had remained unchanged since 1998 and was no longer in line with the cost of processing the document.
He argued that when inflation and changes in the value of money are considered, the current KSh200 charge is comparable to what applicants paid when the fee was last reviewed.
“The fees were last reviewed in 1998, over 20 years ago. Considering the inflationary trend from the 80s and the monetary value vs. the former charges, the revised charges are equivalent to or within the price range of the charges back then,” Kipsang said.
The PS added that the government had no plans to restore the old rates, maintaining that the increase was based on the rising cost of providing the service.
Government defends charges using regional comparisons
The applicant went on to say that the cost of a birth certificate application in Kenya was also within the same range of charges as other nations charged.
According to the ministry, the cost of a birth certificate is KSh320 in Tanzania and KSh180 in Uganda.
In Zambia, the cost of replacing a birth certificate falls between KSh1,100 and KSh1,600.
“The fees reviewed are, by and large, the same level generally levied for similar charges in countries in Africa and abroad,” Kipsang said.
The government increased the birth certificate application fee from KSh50 to KSh200 in November 2024, as part of a wider review of charges for registration services.
Other services were also affected. Late birth registration, which previously cost KSh350, was raised to KSh500.
The fee for replacing a lost birth certificate went up from KSh90 to KSh1,000, while making amendments to an existing birth record increased from KSh130 to KSh1,000.
Security documents cited as reason for higher fees
The ministry has also linked the higher charges to the cost of producing more secure documents.
Kipsang said the materials used to produce birth certificates had become more expensive as the government increased security features to protect the documents.
He maintained that the additional costs had informed the review of fees.
The explanation comes amid public complaints over the higher charges, with applicants calling on the government to return to the previous rates.
However, the ministry has maintained that the KSh200 application fee will remain in force.
