Ruto Assents To Three Key Reform Laws At State House
News Updated: 19 February 2026 15:05 EAT
President William Samoei Ruto at the state house when he assended to three bills
President William Ruto has assented to three significant pieces of legislation at State House Nairobi, marking a fresh phase of legal and institutional reforms. The laws signed include the Births and Deaths Registration (Amendment) Act, 2024, the Pyrethrum Repeal Act, 2024, and the Social Work Professionals Act, 2023.
The Births and Deaths Registration (Amendment) Act seeks to expand access to civil registration services across the country. The new framework mandates the establishment of at least one registration office in every sub-county, a move expected to significantly reduce travel distances for citizens seeking birth and death certificates.
Government officials say the reform is designed to strengthen legal identity systems and enhance service delivery. Access to birth registration remains critical for school enrolment, access to healthcare, national identification processing and inheritance claims, making the decentralisation of services a major administrative shift.
The Pyrethrum Repeal Act, 2024, repeals outdated statutes that previously governed the pyrethrum sub-sector. The change is intended to eliminate regulatory overlaps and align the crop’s management with broader agricultural reforms under current sector laws.
Pyrethrum remains a strategic crop in several highland counties, valued for its use in natural insecticide production. Authorities argue that streamlining the legal framework will improve farmer returns, enhance market access and attract fresh investment into the value chain.
Meanwhile, the Social Work Professionals Act, 2023 establishes a formal regulatory structure for social workers in Kenya. The law provides for the creation of a professional body tasked with registration, licensing and oversight of practitioners.
The Act also sets training and ethical standards for social work professionals, a move expected to professionalise the sector and improve accountability in social protection and welfare services. Stakeholders have long pushed for regulation to standardise qualifications and safeguard vulnerable populations.
Observers note that the trio of laws reflects a broader governance agenda focused on institutional strengthening and service accessibility. The reforms cut across civil administration, agriculture and social services, signalling a multi-sector legislative push.
With presidential assent now granted, the Acts take effect in accordance with statutory implementation timelines. Relevant ministries are expected to develop regulations and operational guidelines to actualise the provisions contained in the new laws.
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FELIX MAKONA
FACT FINDER AND DATA DRIVEN JOURNALIST. DATA MINING AT IT'S BEST. GET FACTS RANGING FROM MATTERS DISABILITY AND INCLUSION, POLITICS, ECONOMY, SPORTS AND GENERAL NEWS AROUND THE WORLD