Muturi: Make death certificates free to safeguard voter register

Former Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi speaking in Tawa, Makueni on March 30, 2026 /HANDOUT 

Speaking on his official X account after his tour in Tawa, Makueni county on Monday, Muturi spoke on the integrity of the electoral system, noting that over two million deceased Kenyans remain listed as active voters, a situation he said undermines public confidence in the democratic process.

“This is not just a statistic; it is a glaring weakness in a system that must inspire trust. Families struggle to obtain death certificates due to the associated costs, and as a result, many deaths go unrecorded in official systems. That gap must be closed,” he said.

He emphasised that free death certificates would be a practical step toward ensuring that national records are accurate and that the voters register reflects only living citizens.

“When such discrepancies persist, they inevitably raise legitimate concerns. They create loopholes that can be exploited and cast doubt on any claims of overwhelming electoral outcomes. Transparency and accountability are not optional they are the foundation of credible elections,” Muturi added.

The call comes amid concerns highlighted in a KPMG audit, which pointed out serious issues in the voters register, including duplicate entries and the presence of deceased voters. Muturi said these errors are not minor, but strike at the very credibility of elections in Kenya.

Currently, registering a death in Kenya involves obtaining a death certificate from the civil registration system managed by the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government.

Families must present hospital records, a burial permit or a death notification from a local chief and pay a prescribed fee for the certificate to be issued.

The requirement has contributed to delayed registration, especially in rural areas, where access to official offices is limited and costs are a burden to low-income households.

Once a death certificate is issued, the information is supposed to be forwarded to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to update the voters register.

Muturi said the process is slow and incomplete, leaving thousands of deceased individuals’ names on the register.

He said reforming the system, including eliminating fees, would close gaps that currently compromise the accuracy of voter rolls.

Muturi also encouraged all eligible Kenyans to participate in the ongoing mass voter registration exercise.

“Your voice matters. Your vote is your power. A credible election must be anchored on a clean, transparent, and verifiable voters register. That is the standard we must demand, and the one we must defend,” he said.

The call for free death certificates aligns with broader efforts to improve transparency and accountability in Kenya’s electoral system, ensuring that the right to vote is exercised only by living, registered citizens and that every electoral outcome reflects the true will of the people.