Director of Public Prosecutions Renson Ingonga has hailed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations' (DCI) newly launched Multi-Biometric Identification System (MBIS)-ABIS Version 5, noting it will strengthen Kenya’s criminal justice system.
Ingonga said the system will enable authorities to quickly identify repeat offenders and provide courts with an accused person’s criminal history.
He said the platform captures the biometric and criminal history of suspects and applicants, allowing the ODPP, the enhanced capability will ensure courts investigators, prosecutors and courts to quickly identify repeat offenders.
Speaking during the launch of the upgraded system Thursday, Ingonga said the platform captures the biometric and criminal history of suspects and applicants, allowing prosecutors and judicial officers to establish whether an accused person has previous convictions.
According to the DPP, the enhanced capability will ensure courts are promptly furnished with an offender’s criminal record, helping guide sentencing decisions, particularly in cases involving habitual offenders.
"Perennial and repeat offenders face stricter sentencing because prior convictions are treated as aggravating factors," Ingonga said.
He noted that comprehensive background investigations are critical in determining an offender's behavioural history and assessing the level of risk they pose to society.
According to Ingonga, such information enables courts to make informed sentencing decisions that not only reflect the gravity of the offence but also protect the public from persistent criminal offenders.
The DCI officially rolled out the MBIS-ABIS Version 5 platform on July 23, 2026, introducing a fully digital system for processing Police Clearance Certificates, commonly known as Certificates of good conduct.
Under the new system, applicants will receive their certificates on the same day they submit their applications and biometrics, replacing the previous process that often took up to 14 days.
The upgrade also eliminates the use of ink fingerprinting. Instead, applicants will place their fingers on a digital scanner, allowing biometric data to be captured and processed electronically.
DCI Director Mohamed Amin said the platform will significantly reduce processing times, improve efficiency and enhance the integrity of forensic evidence through real-time data tracking.
He added that the service will be available in all 51 Huduma Centres across the country, making it easier for Kenyans to obtain the document, which is required for employment, travel and other official purposes.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen presided over the launch.
He was accompanied by Inspector General Douglas Kanja, his Deputy in charge of Administration Police Gilbert Masengeli and head of e-Citizen services Isaac Ochieng among others.
Amin said the upgrade marks a major step in modernising its services, promising shorter waiting periods and more reliable processing for Kenyans seeking Certificates of Good Conduct.
He said the same will apply in all 51 Huduma Centers in the country.
The document is crucial for many reasons. Many Kenyans have been complaining about delays in processing the documents and the new upgrade will be a relieve to them.
Amin said the system will safeguard integrity of evidence in custody.
He said the system will have a realtime data tracking and will shorten the period of getting the document from 14 days to a day.
Kanja said they are embracing technology to help the service in the fight on crime.
Ochieng said eCitizen has onboarded 24,000 services in the country.
Murkomen said the system capacity had increased from two to 10 million and revealed the government plans to link it to other government agencies including the immigration and national registration bureau.
He said the government also plans to launch a new Integrated, Communication, Command and Control Center (IC4) system in six major towns including Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nyeri and Kisumu to help in the fight against crime.
