The Ministry of Interior and National Coordination has announced new charges for government services. This means Kenyans will now have to pay more for essential services.
The change comes after the Ministry’s Cabinet Secretary, Kithure Kindiki, revealed the updated fees in a memo to regional commissioners.
These new charges were proposed in November 2023 through a Gazette Notice and have now been finalized following a public participation process conducted from November 14 to December 5, 2023.
Kindiki, in the memo, highlighted that the revised fees were originally set to take effect from January 1, 2024, pending public participation.
But, as of March 1, 2024, the updated charges, fees, and levies are officially in place, affecting all government services.
Services whose charges have increased
The adjustments include significant increases in fees for various services. For instance, Kenyans applying for an Identification Card (ID) will now have to pay Ksh300, a charge that was previously free.
Similarly, replacing a lost ID card will now cost Ksh1,000, up from Ksh100.
Passport services fees have also seen substantial hikes, with a 75% increase.
Those seeking an ordinary 34-page passport booklet will now pay Ksh7,500, while a 50-page booklet will cost Ksh9,500. Replacing a lost or damaged passport will now incur a fee of Ksh20,000, compared to the previous Ksh10,000.
Moreover, there are notable increases in charges for immigration services. Applying for permanent residence for children born outside Kenya will now cost Ksh750,000, up from Kah500,000, while spouses of Kenyan citizens will be required to pay Ksh150,000, previously Ksh50,000.
Charges for applying for birth and death certificates have also increased.
Opposition to increased charges
These adjustments are likely to impact the pockets of ordinary Kenyans, prompting them to allocate more resources for essential government services.
When the government first announced the changes, there was an uproar from Kenyans and political leaders that forced the Ministry to withdraw the gazette notice.
The move was to allow for public participation.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga had taken issue with the introduction of a charge for ID application.
“We will fight on the ID issue. Every Kenyan should get an ID card, as it is the one that shows you are a Kenyan. So someone wants you to buy it,” Raila said.
“We will demand that every Kenyan is given an ID card even if they do not have money,” he added.
He is yet to make a statement about the latest changes.
