Why plans to open a second Huduma center in Nakuru have stalled
Residents que outside Nakuru's Huduma center.
Obtaining budget approvals has been cited as the main reason why a second Huduma centre has yet to be established in Nakuru County.
Last year, former Huduma Kenya Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Benjamin Kai Chilumo said plans were underway to establish a centre in Molo town to ease the challenges faced by residents seeking government services.
However, this has not yet materialised.
According to Huduma Kenya Ag secretary/CEO Martin Mugambi, they have been challenged by financial budgets.
In an effort to find a solution, they're in talks with Members of Parliament from Rongai and Naivasha to have them build the infrastructure to host the Huduma centre, while Huduma operationalises it by deploying its ICT equipment and staff to ensure a faster rollout of the Huduma centre in constituencies in the future.
"The plan is to have 290 Huduma centres in constituencies across the country. In Nakuru, we will soon have the ground-breaking in Molo Huduma Centre," said Mugambi.
Nakuru currently has only one Huduma Centre located along Kenyatta Avenue. As the only place where residents can access government services, it usually has long queues of people coming from as far as Kuresoi North, Subukia and Naivasha.
"Huduma centres are there to ease the burden of citizens who have to travel far to access government services. It is disappointing to see them in long queues. We have explored the option of monthly huduma mashinani to bring services closer to the mwananchi. However, with the growing population in Nakuru, it is necessary to have Huduma centres in the constituency," he said.
From left Huduma Kenya Ag secretary/CEO , Martin Mugambi, Nakuru county commissioners Loyford Kibaara and Retirement Benefits Authority CEO, Charles Macharia during a courtesy call visit to the county commissioners.
The constituencies they hope to expand to include Molo, Rongai and Naivasha.
Asked if they would consider having an additional Huduma centre in Nakuru city centre, Mr Mungambi says: "Since Nakuru is an urban county, having an additional Huduma centre in the city centre is a valid proposal. This has been done in Nairobi, which has five of them in the city centre. What we need to do is to budget, plan and ensure that the constituency Huduma centres are operationalised to ease the pressure of numbers".