Huduma Centre has called for more partnership with stakeholders in order to give Kenyans easy time accessing government services and acquiring vital documents through the Huduma Mashinani program.
This is after the success of the Huduma Centre and Mombasa Cement partnership that has seen more than 1,500 people in Mombasa access vital government services and documents including ID cards, good conduct certificates, birth and death certificates, NSSF, KRA PIN, VCT and health, among others.
“In order for us to do Huduma Mashinani, we need partners like we have done with Mombasa Cement,” Huduma Centre Mombasa assistant manager Harrison Yogo said.
The partnership, which saw Mombasa Cement pay for all the services rendered at the Mombasa Cement Miracle Park in Kibarani, started on December 13 to December 15.
However, the overwhelming response by the residents has forced Huduma Centre and Mombasa Cement to go into another round of discussion over whether to extend the period or not.
Yogo said, “We as Huduma Centre only bring our staff and services and Mombasa Cement pays for the services. When you come to apply for a national ID card, Mombasa Cement has paid for it, same for all other services like application for NSSF. That makes this Huduma Mashinani a very unique one.”
Yogo said there are many Kenyans who fail to apply for these crucial documents because they lack fares to go to where the Huduma Centres are.
That is why they went into discussion with Mombasa Cement to sponsor the Huduma Mashinani initiative so as to take the services to wananchi where they are instead of wananchi going to Huduma Centre.
And with the Mombasa Cement feeding program at Kibarani, Yogo said, it was an added incentive.
“We have seen an increase in numbers here than in any other place. Already, just today, we have served a little over 400 people and you can see there are still a lot of people in the lines,” Yogo said.
“We are still consulting on the extension. After that we would be able to say whether we will continue with this partnership or not. Initially, we were supposed to do it for three days, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. But the numbers are overwhelming,” he said.
He said the most services sought are ID cards, good conduct and NSSF.
“These are the documents that help one get a job so they are the most sought after,” Yogo said.
Mombasa Cement Miracle Park manager Gulam Mustafa said they got the idea after overhearing several conversations of those who go to the park for meals.
“We felt the pain of the people and I had a discussion with my bosses and they got into contact with the Huduma people,” Mustafa said.
He said the response was encouraging with people coming from as far as Mtwapa, Likoni, Magongo, Bamburi, Utange, Majaoni, among other places.
“The beauty of this service here is the food that people eat. It is encouraging to see them get this crucial service as they eat,” Mustafa said.
Haniel Mengistu
