Inadequate civil registration offices have been a big hindrance in the acquisition of birth certificates in sub-counties within Garissa.
According to Qasida Abdullahi from Haki na Sheria ngo in Garissa which has been advocating for the issue said that parents have for a long time been forced to seek the important services in Garissa town, hundreds of kilometers from their respective sub counties.
“As an organisation we are working very hard to facilitate registration office by taking the registration services closer to the community. Things could have been much easier if these offices were in each sub-county,” she said.
Qasida said locals are faced with challenges while seeking these services, the high transport cost from the sub–counties to Garissa town has been an issue forcing them to spend several nights in the town further inconveniencing them. Also, some of the residents do not know the importance of the document forcing the organization to conduct a door-to-door campaign in a bid to educate them.
Kamuthe Primary School headteacher, Abdinasir Hussein Keynan said that the biggest challenge the school faces is reduction in capitation fee which the school gets owing to the small number of children who have been captured by NEMIS because some lack the necessary documentation.
“Unfortunately, we have a good number of our children who still lack this important document. I only have 150 of them captured in the NEMIS. Thankfully with the help of Haki na Sheria we will have some more captured. I want to thank the organizers even as I challenge all stakeholders to up their game in ensuring that all children not only in my school but across the region get the certificate without much difficulty,” he said.
Bura East sub county Deputy County Commissioner Thomas Bett lauded the NGO for coming to the aid of parents saying the arrangement has weeded out brokers and cartels who used to con desperate and unsuspecting parents under the guise that they will help fast-track their acquisition.
Garissa has seven sub-counties, but the office is only available in Garissa town.
Kinyungu Kithendu and Sally Namuye
