Govt Announces Loss of 900 Birth Certificates Weeks After Title Deeds Went Missing
In a shocking revelation, the government has announced the loss of 900 birth certificates, just weeks after nearly 400 title deeds were reported missing.
This new blunder, traced back to an error at the Mutomo Registration Office, has prompted swift action from the State Department of Immigration Services. On Tuesday, October 15, the department issued a directive via the government’s MyGov publication, stating that the birth certificates in question have been invalidated and must be returned immediately.
The affected birth certificates fall within the following serial number ranges: 1502001-1502100, 1502101-1502200, 1502201-1502300, 1502301-1502400, 1502401-1502500, 1502501-1502600, 1502601-1502700, 1502701-1502800, and 1502801-1502900. The government has urged anyone in possession of these documents to return them to the Civil Registration Services office at Hass Plaza in Nairobi for proper disposal.
Paul Mwangemi, the Acting Secretary of Civil Registration Services, emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that holding onto the invalid certificates would render them unusable in any official capacity. “Any person(s) who may have been issued with any certificate bearing any of the above serial numbers is advised to return it/them to the Secretary, Civil Registration Services, 4th floor, Hass Plaza, Lower Hill,” Mwangemi stated in the notice.
This latest mishap follows closely on the heels of the government’s admission that 366 title deeds had gone missing. The missing deeds, which were reported on September 27, carry serial numbers ranging from 5253001 to 5253367. The government has since nullified these title deeds, rendering them legally void. “It is notified for the general information of the public that Title Deeds bearing serial numbers listed herein are reported lost,” read part of the gazette notice.
Despite these admissions, the government has distanced itself from any liability, refusing to take responsibility for unauthorized transactions that may have occurred due to the missing documents. The lack of clarity over how these crucial documents disappeared has raised concerns over the security of official processes in Kenya.
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi recently highlighted the backlog of uncollected national documents, further fuelling frustration. With 180,000 unclaimed identity cards and tens of thousands of driving licenses and birth certificates piling up in Huduma Centres across the country, the inefficiency in document handling has become a pressing national issue.
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Govt Announces Loss of 900 Birth Certificates Weeks After Title Deeds Went Missing
