Tiaty Constituency Gets First Births and Deaths Registration Office

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“We know some residents have been covering nearly 300 kilometers to travel to Kabarnet, which has been a huge time and financial burden. We want to bring this to an end so that birth certificates can be obtained promptly and affordably,” said PS Bitok.

A Copy of a Kenyan Birth Certificate/Courtesy

The Government has inaugurated the first Civil Registration Services (CRS) office in Tiaty Constituency, Baringo County, marking a significant step in improving access to essential documentation for the local population.

Located at Chemolingot shopping center, the new office is expected to alleviate challenges faced by residents who previously traveled over 300 kilometers to Kabarnet town to register births and deaths.

Speaking at the launch, Immigration Principal Secretary Julius Bitok highlighted the significance of the new office in addressing the logistical and financial hurdles that residents have endured. “We know some residents have been covering nearly 300 kilometers to travel to Kabarnet, which has been a huge time and financial burden. We want to bring this to an end so that birth certificates can be obtained promptly and affordably,” said PS Bitok.

The office aims to increase the registration rate of births among the predominantly pastoral community, where many children remain undocumented due to the challenges of distant registration centers, rough terrain, and insecurity. PS Bitok also announced a mobile registration drive for National Identification Cards targeting late registrations, a move that is expected to benefit many eligible residents.

Chemolingot becomes the fifth CRS office in Baringo County, which has a population of approximately 900,000 spread across six constituencies. The other CRS offices are located in Kabarnet, Mogotio, Ravine, and Kabartonjo.

Tiaty MP William Kamket and other local leaders welcomed the initiative, emphasizing the difficulties residents faced in accessing government services due to the long distances and lack of infrastructure. “The journey from Kolowa to Kabarnet is around 300 kilometers, and there are no proper roads. It costs Ksh3,000 one way, forcing people to sell livestock to afford the trip. The journey takes more than a day, so you also have to account for food and accommodation,” said Kamket.

Leaders also lamented the impact of low registration rates on the constituency’s share of national government resources. According to Baringo County Woman Representative Jematiah Sergon, under-registration has particularly affected the education sector. “If you go to our primary schools, you’ll find only about 200 learners registered in the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS), yet the school has over 700 pupils,” she noted.

The low number of registered voters was another concern raised by leaders. According to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Tiaty has 39,059 registered voters, but leaders believe the number of eligible voters is significantly higher.

The event was attended by several leaders, including Baringo North MP Joseph Makilap, West Pokot Woman Representative Rael Aleutum, Keses MP Julius Ruto, CRS Director Paul Mwangemi, and National Registration Bureau (NRB) Director Christopher Wanjau. The establishment of the Chemolingot CRS office underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to crucial services for all Kenyans, particularly in historically underserved regions.

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