The government has reaffirmed its commitment to accessible, efficient and citizen-centred services as Chuka Huduma Centre marked a decade of operation, with Tharaka Nithi emerging among top-performing centres nationally.
Speaking during the 10th anniversary celebrations, Tharaka Nithi County Commissioner David Gitonga said the Huduma model has significantly brought government services closer to the people, in line with the government’s policy of ensuring citizens can access services conveniently at any time.
Gitonga noted that increasing digital literacy has enhanced uptake of online government platforms, particularly the e-Citizen system, which has streamlined service delivery and reduced turnaround time.
“We are servants of the people, and our responsibility is to ensure services are delivered efficiently and with dignity,” he said.
However, he raised concerns over low public awareness on available government services and urged the media to play a more proactive role in disseminating accurate and timely information.
He particularly called for increased public education on government procurement opportunities to enable more citizens’ benefit economically.
Chuka Huduma Centre Manager Rosemary Kaloki said the centre has made significant strides over the past decade, earning national recognition twice for excellence in service delivery.
She noted that the centre transitioned from manual operations in 2016 to a fully paperless system by 2020, and has since fully integrated e-Citizen services, eliminating cash transactions and improving efficiency.
“Our goal is to offer dignified, error-free services. Customer satisfaction currently stands at 90 per cent, and we are targeting 95 per cent,” said Kaloki.
The centre serves an average of 350 customers daily and has expanded access through the Huduma Mashinani outreach programme, bringing services closer to residents in remote areas.
Kaloki further revealed that the centre has supported voter registration efforts, registering 231 voters with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in less than two weeks, mainly targeting individuals applying for or collecting national identity cards.
She added that the centre is also actively involved in environmental conservation through tree planting initiatives in collaboration with other government agencies.
Despite the progress, Kaloki cited key challenges including uncollected national identity cards, occasional system downtimes, and the absence of biometric registration services for children under the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA).
As Huduma Centres celebrate 10 years of service, leaders reiterated the need for continuous improvement in public service delivery through innovation, awareness creation and inter-agency collaboration.
By Dickson Mwiti and Christine Ngitori
