PS Kibicho Reveals Plans For a Second Huduma Number Registration

Interior PS Karanja Kibicho addresses a summit in Mombasa on January 13, 2020.
Interior PS Karanja Kibicho addresses a summit in Mombasa on January 13, 2020.
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Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho on Wednesday, September 16, revealed plans to carry out a second mass registration exercise for the Huduma Number.

The PS was speaking at a Nairobi hotel where he held a press conference to issue the announcement.

The window of opportunity for the second mass registration will only be made available for Kenyans who failed to enroll in the initial process back in 2019.

Kenyans line up to register for Huduma Number in April 2019
Kenyans line up to register for Huduma Number in April 2019
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After the second registration the government will also embark on rolling out the Huduma Number e-cards before December 2020.

"37 million Kenyans registered for Huduma Namba in 2019. The process is 90% complete, Kenyans will be able to throw away all other cards once Huduma cards are produced.

"Children will now be born straight into Huduma Namba system," noted PS Kibicho

Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Interior Ministry Communications Director Wangui Muchiri confirmed that the cards will be issued before the end of the year.

"The cards will be produced by the end of the year and that is production not completion, the second registration will be for those individuals who missed out in the previous process.

"Right now I cannot give definite timelines for both the registration and issuing of the cards but more information will be issued soon," she noted.

This comes a day after Soy MP Caleb Kositany called for accountability of the Huduma Number funds and the status of its implementation.

"Could the Cabinet Secretary provide the status of the implementation of the Huduma Number whose registration exercise in 2019 was directed as mandatory by the government for all persons?

"How does the government intend to use the said number and when will the Huduma Number cards be ready for collection and use?" he asked.

Kositany also asked about the funds used by the government in the process including registration services, rendered and acquisition of biometric kits used.

He further asked how the people who failed to register for Huduma Number due to lack of documents access government services if the number is effected.

The government promised that the National Integrated Identity Management System (NIIMS) would be an all-in-one pass to efficiently access services from government agencies.

President Uhuru Kenyatta with Governor Anne Waiguru and Interior PS Karanja Kibicho during a development tour of Kirinyaga County in February 2020
President Uhuru Kenyatta with Governor Anne Waiguru and Interior PS Karanja Kibicho during a development tour of Kirinyaga County in February 2020
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