Members of Parliament have urged the State Department of Immigration and Citizen Services to reconsider and republish its revised charges for services like acquiring ID cards and birth certificates, citing affordability concerns.
During a review of the proposed regulations, MPs, including Delegated Legislation Committee Chair Samuel Chepkong’a, criticized the significant fee increases. The proposed changes include charging Sh300 for new ID card applications, previously free, and raising replacement or update fees from Sh100 to Sh1,000.
Gichugu MP Robert Gichimu questioned the fairness of penalizing citizens for errors possibly made by government staff, while others, like Samburu MP Pauline Lenguris, emphasized the burden on ordinary Kenyans during tough economic times.
Principal Secretary Julius Bitok defended the adjustments, citing inflation and higher material costs. However, Chepkong’a suggested a reduction in the proposed birth certificate re-registration fee from Sh1,000 to Sh500.
