Kagera registers over 70 pc of under-five children
BUKOBA: AS of October 10th, this year, Kagera Region had registered 284,912 under-fives out of the projected 418,246 children supposed to be registered in a special registration programme that took off on July 4, 2023.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Registration Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (Rita), Mr Frank Kanyusi, told the evaluation meeting of the implementation of the programme that although the feat is commendable, reports of new birth registration figures are not flowing in as expected.
He told the meeting attended by Kagera Regional Commissioner Fatma Mwassa, that registration of 284,912 babies under the programme, has raised the level of registration to 72.6 per cent up from 14.2 per cent when the programme was launched.
“To us this is a commendable feat, although we know there are unregistered children. Before launching the programme, a mere 14.2 per cent of the region’s children had been registered. We now have added on to this 58.4 per cent.
“We congratulate all leaders, especially the registrars, on this big achievement. However, new registration figures are not flowing in as expected. Our registration chart shows us that sometimes two days pass without recording any figure. This is a worrisome sign to us,” he lamented.
The programme, implemented in 25 Mainland regions, has seen 8,685,150 under-fives registered and given free birth certificates. The scheme’s slogan is ‘leave no one behind’. Children are registered and given birth certificates at offices of ward executive officers and at nearest health maternal facilities.
Reacting to that registration irregularity, the RC called on registrars to deposit timely registration figures into RITA’s data base using government smart phones given to them for that purpose.
“Logically, two days cannot pass without a single birth. This is improper and unacceptable,” she said, telling District Executive Directors to intervene and ensure the programme continues to be implemented properly. She reminded that this is a permanent programme that must be implemented according to the termed and conditions given to registrars and data communicated online.
The new programme, she said, enables Tanzania to have correct data properly and securely preserved.
Ms Mwassa, joined Mr Kanyusi, in thanking the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Canadian Government and TIGO for the support they are giving to have the programme well implemented.
