Suppliers Paralyze Huduma Centre Systems Due to Accumulated Debts

Kenyans seeking Huduma Centre services across the country were on Thursday left stranded after the systems were shut down.

The shutdown is said to have come about as a result of accumulated payments to Huduma Centre suppliers.

Huduma Centre CEO Dennis Mutuku in an interview stated that they were in talks with their service providers to see what systems have been reinstated.

“We are experiencing technical challenges as some suppliers withdrew their services. We had expected that by June 30, is the end of the 2017 financial year, we would have cleared their money but unfortunately, we could not,” said Mutuku in an Interview with one of the local dailies.

Mutuku added that they will be giving a way forward by the end of the day on what would have transpired from the meeting with suppliers.

According to the CEO, Kenyans can still access some of the services as not all have been shut down, like the application of birth certificates, application of Identification Cards and EACC Services.

Huduma Centres were established in 2013 amid President Uhuru Kenyatta’s efforts to improve service delivery.

With the main objective being to improve accountability and transparency, the centers have seen Kenya pushed to the 92nd position in public service delivery globally.

Services offered include issuance of ID cards, online renewal of drivers’ licences, assessment of stamp duty and franking of documents, application for access to government procurement opportunities, registration of self-help groups and CBOs, registration of welfare societies, search of business names, registration of business names, registration of limited companies and student loan application (undergraduate).

Others are body mass index, blood pressure and blood sugar checks, registration for electricity supply, registration of voters, issuance of self-declaration forms, payment of rent, rates and impounding charges, liquor licensing and seasonal parking ticket services.