Kenyans should prepare to open their wallets when visiting Huduma Centers for government services, according to an announcement made Monday by Moses Kuria, Cabinet Secretary for the State Department of Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management.
Kuria stated that the days of free services at the country’s 52 Huduma Centers are over.
He said the centers will soon begin charging fees for things like driver’s license renewals, national ID cards, registrations with the National Social Security Fund and National Health Insurance Fund, student loan interactions, business permits, and more.
“You have been enjoying these services without paying, there is no more free lunch. You have to pay for it, we will introduce fee for service for government service, and private service to support our e-commerce because Huduma Centre will be backbone for e-commerce,” said Kuria during the official takeover of the State Department of Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management
The move is aimed at generating revenue for the centers while reducing their reliance on government budgets, Kuria explained. He cast the fees as a necessity, saying the centers can no longer provide free services.
“Clearly, this is one of the area that the public sector has outshined the private sector. The President has challenged us on sustainability and not trusting on the exchequer and this is one the areas where we will cut dependence on the exchequer,” he stated.
Kuria said he will consult consumer protection agencies and the immigration department as he works to institute the fees. He framed the change as part of a wider effort to expand service delivery through partnerships between the public and private sectors.
The CS said the government ultimately hopes to convert Kenya’s 893 post offices into Huduma Centers. Currently the centers only number 52 nationwide.
Huduma Kenya was introduced in 2013 to streamline bureaucratic systems and reduce corruption. But Kuria said it can no longer operate sustainably without service fees.
