DC steps in to ease crisis at registry offices

By KARANJA NJOROGE

Nakuru County

A last-minute rush for birth certificates at the Nakuru County registry offices has precipitated a crisis that has forced parents to camp outside the offices to be first on the winding queues.

Since the creation of nine districts that form Nakuru County, the District Registrar of Births and Deaths had been serving residents from as far as Subukia, Naivasha, Molo, Rongai and parts of Nyahururu.

On Wednesday, the parents asked the Government to intervene to save them the trouble and suffering they were undergoing to obtain the documents.

"We have been coming here almost everyday for the last two weeks, but they have been sending me back and forth. It is frustrating, as I am yet to obtain the birth certificates for my two children who are waiting to join secondary school," said Mr Moses Ashioya from Elementaita in Gilgil.

An officer who declined to be named said shortage of materials from the Government printer was to blame for the delay in processing of the documents. Members of the public accused some officers of taking advantage of the situation to extort bribes from desperate parents.

Something small

"There are brokers who are coming and collecting the forms after you give them something small, and ensure you get the documents within a few hours," said Jane Wanjiru from Nyahururu.

She claimed she had spent the night outside the offices, as she could not afford the daily fare from Nyahururu.

Following the crisis, Nakuru DC Kangethe Thuku on Wednesday visited the offices and announced that the numbers of officers will be doubled to clear the backlog. The DC said following the last minute rush by the parents, the department had been overstretched as it was serving most of the areas in Nakuru County.

"As a result we have decided to double the number of officers to 30 and also create a customer care and documents collection desk," he added.

The DC said three officers would be deployed to the offices to weed out corrupt elements masquerading as brokers and who are fleecing wananchi. He, however, defended the officers against claims of corruption levelled against them by the public.

"The officers are trying their best to serve the public and they are not involved in corruption as alleged. But we have brokers who are taking advantage of the situation," the DC said.

He said to curb vice, those presenting their documents will be vetted to ensure they are not presenting documents from other parties.