NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 6 – The government is moving to reform Kenya’s civil registration system after concluding a three-day validation workshop on the Births and Deaths Registration Bill 2025.
The proposed legislation seeks to repeal and replace the Births and Deaths Registration Act (Cap 149), a law enacted in 1928, and align the country’s civil registration framework with the Constitution of Kenya 2010 and international standards on civil registration and vital statistics.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the ministry will support the Civil Registration Service (CRS) as the reform process moves to the next stage.
Murkomen noted that the ministry will facilitate the remaining steps, including public participation, further validation of the draft Bill, review by the Office of the Cabinet Secretary and submission to the Attorney General for formal drafting and concurrence.
Once finalized, the Bill will be presented to Parliament for consideration, with the ministry expected to facilitate its passage.
To strengthen engagement with lawmakers, the ministry plans to involve the National Assembly’s Security Departmental Committee during the public participation process. A special briefing for the committee is also being considered to outline key provisions of the proposed law before parliamentary debate.
The reforms form part of the government’s broader agenda under President William Ruto to strengthen public institutions and improve the efficiency of government services.
Officials from the Civil Registration Service said the proposed law will create a modern legal framework to support efficient and accessible civil registration services while strengthening Kenya’s vital statistics system.
The CRS also acknowledged support from development partners Vital Strategies and the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), which provided technical and financial assistance during the development of the Bill.
