Gov’t expedites replacement of lost documents amidst flooding crisis

In response to the widespread flooding affecting Kenya, the government has announced plans to accelerate the replacement of lost identification cards and personal registration documents.

Julius Bitok, the Principal Secretary of Immigration and Citizen Services, revealed that an emergency desk has been established at Nyayo House in Nairobi.

This desk is dedicated to reporting lost documents, including birth certificates and passports, to provide swift replacements.

Bitok emphasized the urgency, stating, “We have set up a centre at Nyayo House where you can report as an emergency so that those who have lost their documents in the raging floods can replace them in the shortest time possible.”

Bitok, who recently led a tree-planting initiative at the Kenya Meat Institute in Mavoko, Machakos County, announced plans to replicate these emergency desks nationwide.

“We are ready to move around the country to ensure each one of them has a new document in the shortest time possible,” he affirmed.

The flooding has had devastating effects, affecting over 286,000 individuals, displacing close to 47,000 households, and causing over 200 fatalities across 37 counties.

Many Kenyans have lost property and vital registration documents essential for daily activities.

Bitok also stressed the importance of National Tree Planting Day in mitigating flooding and weather extremes.

“We will plant 3,000 trees in this area while joining the rest of Kenyans to ensure there are enough trees to help us combat flooding and mitigate the effects of climate change,” he added.

To combat climate change, the government aims to plant at least four million trees monthly and a total of 15 billion trees over the next decade.

Additionally, the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services has proposed adopting land at Portland Cement for yearly tree planting initiatives, emphasizing the importance of nurturing trees to maturity.