Lamu East marks milestone with first local Birth Certificate issuance
Lamu residents have endured arduous journeys by boat, often lasting several hours, to the Civil Registration Services office on Lamu Island and Mokowe to obtain these critical documents.
While acquiring a birth certificate is generally a simple and straightforward process, for many residents of Lamu, this crucial document has long been out of reach—especially for those living on the far-flung islands that dot the county.
For more than sixty years since the country attained independence, residents of Lamu East have endured arduous journeys by boat, often lasting several hours, to the Civil Registration Services office on Lamu Island and Mokowe to obtain these critical documents.
These challenges are now being mitigated, as for the first time, birth certificates are being issued to residents of Lamu East. The first document was issued and made available to recipients on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.
Most government services—including civil registration (birth and death certificate registration)—are centralized on Lamu Island and Mokowe, forcing residents from outlying islands who face a mix of geographical, administrative, and social barriers- to travel long distance in accessing essential services.
The area MP, Ruweida Mohamed Obo, hailed the achievement, saying it demonstrates the government’s commitment to taking services closer to the people, even in the most remote parts of the country.
Describing it as a milestone, she said this was made possible after the government decentralized services to the area, ensuring that residents will no longer have to travel long distances to apply for the document.
The Civil Registration Department has been spearheading registration drives designed to deliver essential birth and death registration services to underserved communities through the National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) structures, making access more convenient and inclusive.
Apart from traveling long distances to register births, other challenges faced by Lamu residents in obtaining birth certificates include children being born at home rather than in hospitals due to the absence of nearby health facilities. Without hospital-issued birth notifications (the first step in registration), parents lack the basic documentation needed to apply for a birth certificate.
In addition, to register a child, authorities typically require parents’ ID cards. In Lamu, many adults do not have IDs themselves-a factor caused by the rigorous vetting process, creating a cycle of undocumented families.
This results in children growing up without birth certificates because their parents cannot meet the requirements.
Because of these challenges, many children in Lamu grow up without legal identity, which limits access to education (as schools require birth certificates), healthcare, social services, and future ID registration and employment opportunities.