Huduma Kenya is pushing for major reforms that could change how government services are delivered across the country, with plans underway to turn the programme into an independent agency through a new law currently under public participation.
Chief Executive Officer CPA Ben Kai Chilumo said the move is intended to give Huduma Kenya powers to employ its own workers, improve service delivery, raise resources and set uniform standards for government services offered at Huduma Centres.
Speaking during an interview on Radio Generation on Thursday, Chilumo said the agency has for years operated without a proper legal structure despite handling thousands of citizens daily through centres spread across the country.
According to the CEO, Huduma Kenya is currently operating under a gazette notice within the State Department for Public Service, limiting its ability to independently manage staffing, operations and expansion plans.
“As we speak today, it is a programme under a gazette notice. It is not a legal entity,” the CEO highlighted.
Chilumo said the proposed Huduma Bill seeks to formally anchor the programme in law and strengthen its ability to coordinate government services under one system.
“This bill basically entrenches the programme into a legal framework where it becomes an entity that is able now to function properly, able to hire staff,” he said.
He noted that one of the biggest concerns raised by Kenyans has been the absence of some critical government services at Huduma Centres despite public demand.
“Kenyans have been asking why are you not giving us passports in Huduma Centres,” he said. “We have no mechanism to enforce some of these things.”
The CEO explained that the new law is also expected to address inconsistencies in the way services are offered across ministries, departments and Huduma Centres.
“Kenyans are asking why government services offered in Huduma are different from services at the back office of ministries and agencies,” he argued.
“We are also coming in this Bill and policy to see how do we standardise services even across the government sectors by introducing a quality standard.”
Chilumo termed the proposed legislation a major opportunity to improve access to public services and streamline operations within government institutions.
“It’s a wonderful piece of legislation that if passed, it could transform the way public service is offered within the Kenya set-up.”
Huduma Centres were introduced in 2013 as part of the government’s Vision 2030 plan aimed at improving efficiency and reducing delays in accessing state services.
The first Huduma Centre was opened at Nairobi’s General Post Office before the model was rolled out to counties across the country.
The centres were designed to reduce congestion in government offices by bringing different public services together under one roof.
Currently, Huduma Centres provide services including national identity card applications, birth and death certificates, police abstracts, certificates of good conduct, NHIF, NSSF, NTSA and KRA services among others.
Chilumo said the centres currently host services from over 36 counties and several state agencies such as the National Registration Bureau, NTSA, NSSF and the National Construction Authority.
Huduma Kenya data shows the programme currently runs 57 centres across all 47 counties, with Nairobi having five facilities because of high demand. Counties such as Kajiado and Laikipia also have more than one centre.
The centres serve an estimated 60,000 people every day through physical offices, digital systems and Huduma Mashinani outreach activities.
The government is also planning to increase the number of Huduma Centres to about 290 in sub-counties to improve access to services in remote parts of the country.
The CEO said some of the services most sought after by Kenyans include replacement and application of national IDs, certificates of good conduct, police abstracts and NTSA services.
“You can come there and report your loss so you get a police abstract,” Chilumo said. “You’ll apply for your ID, whatever it is. You will come there also apply for a Certificate of Good Conduct without having to go to DCI.”
Apart from administrative services, Chilumo said Huduma Centres have introduced health support services targeting both civil servants and members of the public.
“We’ll take your BP, take your blood sugar, want to tell you if you are obese or overweight by checking your BMI,” he noted. “We either have the counselling services.”
He added that the centres also provide counselling support through a toll-free tele-counselling line.
“You call 1919,” he said. “Mental health issues have become a reality. People are suffering. Employees are suffering. So we started this to serve the civil servant but it is open to the public.”
Chilumo further stated that Huduma Centres continue to record heavy traffic despite increased digitalisation of government services through the eCitizen platform.
“Over 22,000 government services have been digitalised and can be accessed through the platform of eCitizen,” he said.
He however explained that many processes still require physical visits for verification and completion.
“So finally, we have to come to the Huduma Centre or to the Ministries, Departments and Agencies(MDA),” he noted.
The CEO also said the government is working with cyber cafes in remote areas to assist citizens who may lack internet access or digital skills needed to use online systems.
On concerns surrounding workers deployed through the National Youth Service, Chilumo clarified that the officers are attached to Huduma Centres during their service period.
“These are seconded and we are either employees or NYS on service,” he said.
He also acknowledged complaints over low wages among some support staff and said efforts are ongoing to align payments with government standards.
“We’ve been paying 15,000 but we’re already working on trying to harmonise that in accordance with the government,” he said.