MP Stirs Debate Over Uhuru's Huduma Namba Card

President Uhuru Kenyatta and First Lady Margaret display new Huduma Cards at Gusii Stadium on Tuesday, October 20, 2020.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and First Lady Margaret display new Huduma Cards at Gusii Stadium on Tuesday, October 20, 2020.
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A section of Kenyans raised questions over President Uhuru Kenyatta's Huduma Namba Card presented to him during the Mashujaa Day celebrations.

A photo of the President registering for Huduma Namba was fished from the archives by hawk-eyed Kenyans who compared it to the image used in the card.

Uhuru launched the rollout of the National Integrated Identity Management System (NIIMS) dubbed Huduma Namba in Masii town, Machakos County back in April 2019.

A person holding the new Huduma Namba Card unveiled on Tuesday, October 20, 2020.
A person holding the new Huduma Namba Card unveiled on Tuesday, October 20, 2020.
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Ministry of Interior

In a photo taken by Uhuru back in April 2019, the Head of State had a white shirt on, without a tie and suit and took the photo on a grey background that was mostly used by the Huduma Namba agents.

The photo that appeared on the card, however, had Uhuru in a red tie, white shirt, complete with a suit and looked different from the one taken last year.

Nyali MP Mohamed Ali was one of the Kenyans to note the disparity and went on to claim that the country was being taken for a ride.

"Huduma is something else. A photo is taken of you in a shirt, but the card is produced with you in a suit. We were played," he noted. 

The former journalist went ahead to post a photo of First Lady Margaret Kenyatta who too had a different attire in the image taken during the registration and contrasted it with the one on the card.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i introduced the first Huduma Numba Card and presented it to the Head of State and Margaret.

Matiang'i then invited President Kenyatta to hand out 10 other Huduma Namba cards for validation to ten individuals.

Some Kenyans also questioned why Deputy President William Ruto was not presented with a Huduma Namba card during the event.

Some of the 10 recipients of Huduma Card displays them during Mashujaa Day Celebrations in Kisii on Tuesday, October 20, 2020.
Some of the 10 recipients of Huduma Card displays them during Mashujaa Day Celebrations in Kisii on Tuesday, October 20, 2020.
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