The Huduma Centre in Nyamira has launched an outreach programme dubbed ‘Huduma Mashinani’ that will make government services accessible to residents in markets and shopping centres in very remote and urban areas within the county.
Nyamira County Huduma Centre manager, Mary Hyacinth, confirmed to KNA that the outreach programme has attracted a section of residents who were not able to access government services at their huduma centres in Nyamira town due to transport costs.
“We have managed to serve over 600 residents through the Huduma Mashinani initiative in just two days, especially mothers who have young ones and elderly citizens who are not able to access our offices due to financial and time constraints,” Ms. Hyacinth confirmed.
She observed that the majority of citizens seek government services when it is a compulsory requirement that they have particular documents.
The centre manager explained. “Some services are free, while others have a statutory fee where an official receipt is issued, and if the payment is made online via a pay bill number, it must show the department that has received the money. Residents should therefore not fear remitting their payments online by using authenticated pay bill numbers.”
“We have done our huduma mashinani outreach programmes at Miruka market in Nyamira South Sub County and Ikonge market in Nyamira North Sub County, which serve the largest population of traders and customers, and the outcome has been impressive. Residents should take advantage of our outreach programmes to access government services right at their doorstep,” she appealed.
She explained that they offer all online government services, and no one should be left behind thinking that it is not possible to offer some services.
Services offered range from registration of births, applying for identification cards, police abstracts, good conduct, registering a newly formed group, applying for a KRA PIN, applying for a passport, making inquiries on your NHIF and NSSF status, and making inquiries on your HELB application status, amongst other government services.
Huduma centres have adopted a one-stop shop design where Kenyans can access most government services from a centralised place, an initiative that most Kenyans have lauded and embraced.
By Deborah Bochere
