Recently, the country has embarked into a massive registration of citizens into a National Integrated Identity Management System (NIIMS) aka Huduma Number. Huduma Number is a government new system of data collection which in turn will be used to facilitate government services as well as in identification purposes.

However, the exercise met backlash amongst Kenyans with some regions surmising it as some type of satanic movement enforced on people by the government. Majority of Kenyans do not think that the number is any important or any different with a normal identification card.

Government failures

It is not surprising that Kenyans are mixed up about a countrywide exercise involving them. With some dismissing the exercise as diabolical, we can then agree with the fact that the government did not thoroughly commit itself into educating Kenyans about the entire process. Lack of tact and machination into this activity has led into this shameful and unnecessary confusion which has resulted into many Kenyans delaying in taking part.

Interior CS, Fred Matiangi, has resulted into intimidating Kenyans with a deadline to which if not met, Kenyans will suffer some known or unknown consequences. Most do not even know what consequences because it has not been explained clearly. He also stated that, “We don’t want to force you to register ….., but you are smart enough to know that if you are going to seek services, you need to get the services in a manner that is much more facilitative and faster.” As much as this process is important, first, there should be no deadline into completing this activity. It is not even practical because Huduma Number is a continuous process which any Kenyan can do at whatever time they want.

Deadline and costs

This exercises was budgeted at Ksh 7.7 billion with most of the cash going to pay the facilitators and all other support staff needed. Stretching the dates will automatically stretch the budget. Knowing this, the government should have spent about 3-4 months educating and thoroughly explaining the facts to Kenyans using media. It is a bit awkward that in some cases, the media had to beg the government for facts about the process.

Instead of the government enlightening the country through all media outlets, they were busy dodging important questions; questions like, how will the government protect people’s sensitive information while in their mega databases. All these worries about deadline setting would have been minimized by meticulously educating Kenyans on the subject that matters to them most.

Clearing the mystery

Since the job of educating Kenyans was and has been left to us, (the media fraternity), we might as well undertake the duty.

Below are facts about Huduma Number:

1. First and foremost, Huduma number has no any religious ties.

Be sure to apprise some of your folks in the village or elsewhere who are still diabolical. In fact there’s no question asking about anyone’s religion either!

2. Huduma number is not going to immediately replace your ‘Kipande’ or ID card.

In US, all citizens have both Social security number and Drivers’ License/ID card. Do NOT discard your ID Card.

3. Huduma Number will make things easy.

In receiving government services e.g. Passport Application, currently, you are required to bring your ID card, Birth Certificate, KRA PIN, Parent’s ID and sometimes, some other supporting documents. With Huduma Number, all you will need in the future is your ID card as a secondary document.

4. No prolonged queuing time.

The time we waste while waiting to be served at government offices will be reduced significantly. Where you are required to produce all your documents, Huduma Number will suffice. This is what they are calling, “Single source of truth”. Am sure you have gone to places where you’ve been asked to come the following day, since you forgot to bring you Birth Certificate. Well, that madness stops with Huduma Number.

5. Used to identify Persons.

Since every Kenyan is required to have a Huduma number, it will be easier to identify people who are in the country illegally. At any port of entry, every foreigner will be issued a temporary number of identification. Thus reducing illegals from entering the country and accessing all other services without being noticed.

6. Census made easy and less costly.

Since Huduma number will register every newborn at birth, and track every death, it will be easy to have a more accurate number of people in a county or a country. This will also help with resource allocation based on population index.

Finally...

The government must make sure that what it has promised Kenyans will be delivered. We are used to government shoddy projects that never end having wasted billions of cash that could have been used in other productive things. For instance, as we speak, the government has abandoned the water and irrigation projects that has already spent Ksh 5.2 billion!

We cannot develop this nation while we have leaders who are inept, who spend billions on useless projects not to mention thievery that has no end. Let Huduma Number become a success instead of another Hujuma towards Kenyans!