Members of the Public from Kakamega County have hailed Huduma Kenya for transformational public service delivery as the entity marked 10 years since its inception.
Speaking at the Kakamega Huduma Centre Tuesday, the stakeholders said the services being offered at Huduma centres were credible and had standardized government services across the country.
Led by Member of Kakamega County (MCA) Butsotso Central Gideon Opati, they said the move to bring various government service delivery under one roof had enhanced government service delivery in the country.
While commending Huduma Kenya staff for exemplary performance, Mr. Opati however told them to offer the service to wananchi as a right rather than a favour.
Acting Kakamega Deputy County Commissioner Peter Kimei, who was the chief guest directed civil servants seconded to the Centre by respective ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to exercise high levels of integrity.
He issued a stern warning to some government officers serving at the Centre against involvement in malpractices or soliciting for bribes.
“This is a warning that corruption menace must stop forthwith since you get allowances over and above your monthly salary” he cautioned.
The DCC’s warning came after the Western Kenya Director of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Christine Natome raised a red flag that the Commission was investigating some officers at the Kakamega Huduma Centre for malpractices.
“We do not want to get to arrests or prosecutions but be warned that we are watching,” she warned.
Kimei said the national government will continue to provide outreach services to wananchi to reduce congestion at County headquarters.
The Kakamega Huduma Centre Manager Lydia Chemesunde said the Centre is serving an average of 1,000 clients per day and that 43,197 clients have been served since July, at the start of the first quarter of the 2023/2024 financial year.
She said the Centre is currently offering 22 government services, ranging from birth certificates to the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), and Social Insurance Fund (NSSF) among others.
She said the government has extended opening and closing hours at Huduma centres to run from 7.00 am to 7.00 pm and urged wananchi to make use of the extension.
The first Huduma Centre was established in Nairobi in 2013 and currently, there are 52 Huduma Centre in all 47 Counties countrywide.
The function was attended by heads of government and clients.
