Operations were temporarily disrupted at the offices of the registrar of persons in Mombasa on Monday after hundreds of parents and students stormed the place demanding to verify the birth certificate while others wanted to apply for new birth certificates.
Two women, whose identities have not been disclosed, fainted because of the commotion at the premises as parents struggled to be served by the offices. The parents jostled to be served as the dateline to register students nears.
The officers at the premises were overwhelmed as parents mounted endless pressure on them forcing police to swing in action in a bid to control the crowd. The residents lamented over poor service delivery at the premises and urged an action taken against lazy staff.
“I was here since 6am. The door was opened around 8 am but by afternoon I had not been served. My grandchild was born at home. It has been a hectic affair to get her birth certificate,” said a woman who only identified herself as Fatuma told journalists.
When she realized she would not get the document, she sat down crying inside the offices begging the officials to help her grandchild. More than 400 parents from different parts of the county turned up at the Mombasa’s Huduma Centre to verify their children’s documents.