NIIMS: How to Register for Huduma Namba

by Anthony Owino on Thursday, 11 April 2019 - 3:17 pm

The mass registration for Huduma Namba was recently launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta, but do you know how it is supposed to help you, the registration process, what you need to have and other details?

Well, this article will take you through all the necessary information you need to know in order to successfully register for your Huduma Namba.

What is Huduma Namba?

Huduma Namba is a useful tool for the government to use in national planning, social services, project resource allocation, and even project infrastructure.

It is conducted by the National Integrated Identity Management system (NIIMS) and involves collecting biometric data after which the systems generates a unique number (Huduma Namba).

No other document gives the government the ability to serve its people that way. Once done, the Huduma Namba will be the only identification document you will need.

Without it, it will be difficult to access any government services that require documentation, just as you cannot do so without a national ID card.

Requirements for Huduma Namba registration

A new website for the process has been launched to enable Kenyans to download the registration form so that they fill at convenience and take to the registration centers. (www.hudumanamba.go.ke)

The registration is for Kenyans aged six and above.Please note that younger children will be captured on the system under the parents or guardians ‘profile’.

The mandatory documents required to register for a Kenyan citizen above 18 years of age is an original national ID card and those below 18 years an original birth certificate.

Foreign residents are required to bring their passports or alien cards.

All these documents are recorded in different databases so Huduma Namba consolidates the information to arrive at the ‘single source of truth’ regarding a Kenyan.

There is no new data the government is looking for nor is DNA needed.

Those who may not have these documents should present themselves to the NIIMS registration officers for further guidance.

Other information required, where applicable, includes:

1. Place of birth

2. Disability registration number

3. National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) number

4. National Social Security Number (NSSF)

5. Passport number and expiry date

6. Birth Certificate Entry number

7. Driver’s license number

8. Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Personal Identification Number (PIN)

9. Marital status and spouse name and ID/Passport number

10. Parent or Guardian name and ID/Passport number

11. Permanent and Current address

12. Contact details

13. National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) number

Note: If you are not sure of the details of where you come from for example sub location, sub-county, do not worry the registration officer will help you out.

How to register for Huduma Namba

Registration for Huduma Namba (Number) is currently not done online because you are required to present yourself physically.

Go to your sub-chief office or sub-county office if you cannot locate any registration center near your (2017 Voting Centre).

For those within the country during the registration period, they can present themselves to any registration center between 7 am and 5 pm every day of the week.

Registration will take place in every sub-location in the country under the supervision of the Assistant Chief. It will involve both fixed and mobile registration points.

For information on the exact location in your sub-location where registration is taking place, please check with the nearest Assistant Chief.

Citizens outside of the country can submit their information on the Huduma Namba portal www.hudumanamba.go.ke but will be advised in due course on how their fingerprints and photos will be captured.

Please note that Huduma Centers are currently registering, but only a few kits have been allocated for the exercise.

Below is step by step process on how your information is collected and stored;

Step 1:

You will fill in a hard copy that contains your bio data, biometrics.

The registration officer will also need to take a photo of you, take fingerprints and ask you to sign or use your thumbprint in order to finish the registration process.

Step 2:

This information is transferred to a registration kit that stores captured data locally

Step 3:

At the end of the day, the information is uploaded to the server

Step 4:

The data is then the fed to the Huduma Namba Server and UPI is generated.

Note: The Huduma Namba will not be issued during the mass registration exercise as there are several steps before it is issued. After successful verification of the data then a Huduma Namba will be issued.

However all those registered will receive an acknowledgment slip to signify that their data has been captured.

After the registration, the gadgets will be left with the chiefs to continue updating the digital register with information such as births, deaths, marriages, and any other updates.

What happens when a person's registration details change? (Marital status, employment status, current physical address education details, etc)

When a persons’ registration details change, they should contact the mandated agency who will update their details.

For example, if a child attains the age of 18 years they should contact the National Registration Bureau (NRB).

Also, should a person die, their next of kin should contact the Civil Registration Service (CRS).

The operationalization of the Huduma Namba will lead to harmonization of this in due course.

What are the benefits of registering for Huduma Namba?

The Huduma Namba will make the lives of Kenyans easy. Once data is captured digitally, you will never again have to queue to submit new data unless you choose to.

In the same way that your driver’s license or national ID have the original photo taken as a teenager, so too shall the Huduma Namba.

Single identification numbers have been used in the West to help governments plan; disburse benefits such as welfare, healthcare, housing, and agriculture.The government hopes Huduma Namba will play a similar role in channeling resources to the elderly, school children, the disabled, members of the proposed housing fund, small and medium enterprises and farmers.

It also hopes the number would aid in combating fraud.

It could also help check the unwanted entry into the country by foreigners in the wake of terrorist threats and attacks.

How safe is the data collected by NIIMS?

The development of the NIIMS system has taken into account international best practice and global standards in the collection, transmission, and storage of all collected data.

The data will only accessible by authorized officers and government agencies for official use only.

Laws have been put in place to ensure no litigation hinders the rollout of this programme.

The Registration of Persons Act was amended in the National Assembly to include digital biometric and data capture.

A standalone Huduma Namba Bill is currently in Parliament and it includes permission to capture data as well as makes provisions for the protection of that information.