Kenya: Mad Rush to Register for Huduma Namba Ahead of Deadline

As was expected, Kenyans have once again proved that they are given to last-minute rush, a day to the end of Huduma Namba registration.

On Friday, men, women and their children came out in their hundreds and thronged registration centres, with many lamenting about the slow pace of listing.

In the capital Nairobi, long queues were witnessed at Huduma Centres, with one at GPO being among the longest.

The line had coiled more than thrice by 8am and police officers had to intervene to maintain order.

“The line is not moving at all. We have been since 5am and I feel like giving up,” Ms Njeri Njambi, 25, told the Nation.

CHILDREN SKIP SCHOOL

In Kahawa Wendani, residents woke up as early 3am to avoid the long queues but many were disappointed.

“We were here a few minutes to 4am, with our children who have had to miss school,” Mr James Kiprop told the Nation.

“It’s almost 8am and the clerks are yet to arrive yet the centre should open at 6.30am. It’s unfair.

Senior citizens, pregnant women and mothers with babies were not spared the pain of waiting in the long queues.

Similar long lines were witnessed across the country, with centres in towns such as Mombasa, Kisumu, Nyeri, Eldoret, Kakamega, Garissa, Nyeri, Meru experiencing the rush.

INSPECTION

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i visited several stations in the capital, including GPO, as he inspected the exercise.

Dr Matiang’i said he has mobilised for more clerks and Kiems kits to be delivered to GPO to help ease the pressure.

The personnel and the equipment would come from centres with less numbers, the CS said.

And despite the rush, the minister maintained government will not extend the mass registration beyond Saturday unless President Kenyatta issues an order.

But the listing will continue at chiefs’ offices countrywide beyond Saturday.

However, the local administrators are unlikely to pick up the registration exercise immediately because many of them have not been trained on the use of the kits.

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