Kenyans may soon be spared the burden of travelling long distances to apply for or renew police clearance certificates—commonly known as the certificates of good conduct—thanks to a push by senators to automate the process.
The proposed development follows a motion led by Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu, calling for the creation and implementation of an automated certification system for the documents.
“The National Police Service Commission, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior, should develop and implement an automated good conduct certification system designed to streamline the issuance, renewal and verification of these certificates,” Nyutu said.
He said many Kenyans were forced to travel long distances to designated application and fingerprinting centres, making the process tedious, time-consuming and costly.
“A certificate of good conduct is a major requirement for Kenyan citizens seeking employment, business opportunities and, in some cases, financial services. Yet its acquisition remains tedious and prone to delays, locking many Kenyans out of critical opportunities.”
The current system, which is manual, is vulnerable to delays and inconsistencies, potentially undermining the authenticity and integrity of the certificates, the first-term senator said.
The new system should incorporate advanced technologies such as biometric fingerprint recognition to improve accuracy, security and speed in verifying an individual’s criminal record.
The use of biometric fingerprint verification through mobile biometric kits, as well as the establishment of decentralised service points and the deployment of mobile registration units to reach remote areas, will address the challenges.
Further, the senator wants increased public awareness campaigns, especially in rural communities, on how to apply for and renew the certificate.
Nyutu has already moved the motion, whose passage could see major changes in the application and issuance of the crucial certificate.
This initiative builds on reforms initiated in 2023, when the Directorate of Criminal Investigations eliminated the requirement for applicants to book fingerprinting appointments.
Under the revised system, applicants now only need to present the necessary documents – such as printed C24 forms, payment vouchers and original ID cards – at their nearest fingerprinting centre, where the prints are taken on the spot.
The DCI also announced the expansion of the service, previously available only at its headquarters, to Huduma centres nationwide.
If adopted, the senators’ proposal could mark a major leap forward in making public services more accessible and efficient for all Kenyans.
Earlier, citizens decried poor service delivery, with an applicant required to wait for weeks or months before they had their fingerprints taken.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
The DCI advised those who apply and obtain their documents to download them and keep printed copies, noting that the certificates would be pulled down from the eCitizen website after six months. For those choosing DCI headquarters as their preferred centre, applicants can access the fingerprinting facility between 7am and 3pm. After that, only those within the centre are served.
by JULIUS OTIENO
