Halima Abdallah K.
12 October 2008
Nairobi — Financial constrains, rampant graft and bureaucracy threaten to undermine Uganda's effort to revitalise the civil registration programme, which collapsed in the 1970s.
Estimates show that while it would cost Ush7.1 billion ($4.3 million) to run the programme in 56 districts across the country but there is a shortfall of Ush3.1 billion ($1.7 million).
"Funding is available for only 31 old districts, leaving 25 districts without any funding for the revitalisation of birth and death registration," states a report by the Uganda Registration Services Bureau.
The programme seeks to register all births and deaths in the country, but the National Task Force spearheading the process that started in 2002, depends on donor support to carry out its work.
Further support comes from non- governmental organisations working for the children, Unicef and Plan Uganda.
The two organisations have provided both financial and technical support through training, but the two donors can only support the 31 districts.
The funds are needed for training registrars, buying registration forms, printing certificates, storage, computers, mobilisation and reviews.
Officials from Plan Uganda say the organisation is also meeting the costs of birth certificates for all children aged zero to eight years.
According to the Uganda Health Demographic Survey of 2001, only 4 per cent of births were registered. However, after the revitalisation programme started in 2002, the number had increased to 26 per cent by 2006.
Underfunding of the programme is also creating a complex situation regarding the legality of the certificates that the districts are issuing to the public as each improvises to keep records of births and deaths.
"There are different types of certificates coming up as the districts print their own certificates. If you look at them, they don't look official. They are forwarding unofficial documents and quoting non-existent laws," said Registrar General Bisereko Kyomuhendo.
Ideally, everybody should get the standard certificate, since the process has been decentralised with registration starting at parishes up to the national level.
Under Uganda's constitution and the various international conventions it is signatory to, it is mandatory to register births and deaths for purposes of identification.
According to Unicef, the process should be compulsory, universal, permanent and continuous and should ensure the confidentiality of personal data.
But the bureaucratic process involved in Uganda often deters the guardians and parents from registering births.
For instance, although there is a standard fee of Ush1,000 (57 US cents) for a birth certificate, one may pay up to Ush25,000 ($15) depending on the urgency.
No receipts are issued for payment, while on the certificate, the amount paid is indicated as Ush1,000 (57 US cents). Foreigners pay even more, up to $25.
This writer, for example was asked to pay Ush10,000 ($6) by an official who had earlier asked for Ush15,000 ($8).
The amount demanded may not appear large for a salaried worker, but the situation is not the same for the rural poor. That is why Unicef is opposed even to the 57 US cents fee.
Agnes Wandira Ntende, Registrar of Births and Deaths, revealed recently that the government is it relying heavily on volunteers at the grassroots level to manually manage vital information.
Deputy Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs Fred Ruhindi, however, feels that local government employees should do the bulk of the work because the majority of the people live in the rural areas.
Also high on the problem list is the outdated law -- an Act enacted in 1970 -- which the National Task Force is reviewing.
In particular, they want to amend the provision spelling out penalties for default in registering and for giving false information about births and deaths.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 The East African. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
