Register a firm and report graft under one roof
Nairobians are flocking to the newly-opened Huduma Centre.
The centre offers all public services under one roof.
This means that you can, for example, register a company, apply for a birth certificate and report corruption without leaving the centre.
On the first day of its operation, Friday, the centre, housed at the Teleposta House recorded more than 300 visitors within the first hour.
Orderly fashion
On Saturday, its lobbies were occupied by people waiting to be served. Many of them arrived before it opened its doors at 8am.
Long queues were witnessed at the e-ticketing section, whose purpose is to ensure people move in an orderly fashion as they access the centre.
The head of the Huduma Kenya Secretariat Dennis Mutuku said the turnout had been overwhelming.
“An hour after opening doors we had over 300 people at the waiting lobby eager to be served ,” he said.
The counter for duplicate identity cards had the highest number of clients followed by that for the National Health Insurance Fund and National Social Security Fund.
However, only a few residents visited the anti-corruption desk, a phenomenon Mutuku said could be explained by the fact that reporting corruption required some level of secrecy owing to its sensitivity.
“We link the low turnout to lack of confidentiality. We are making arrangements to have a specialised booth so that people can come and report without fear of third parties eavesdropping,” he said.
Patrick Gathogo who had gone to the centre to buy a seasonal parking ticket said he was impressed by the efficiency of the centre.
He was served in less than an hour.
“If I had gone to City Hall it would have taken me the whole day,” said the happy customer.
Other government services available at the Huduma Kenya Centre include student loan application, renewal of driving licences, registration of welfare groups, checking status of pension claims among others.
Government centres
Similar one-stop shops centres will be rolled out in areas like the City Square, Ngara, Buruburu and Industrial Area within the next 16 months.
Over the same period, similar centres will be unveiled in the other 46 counties.