The Huduma Number registration has kicked off in Kenya which opens up a new way for Kenyan nationals and foreigners to access government services. President Uhuru Kenyatta presided over the launch and presented himself for the registration exercise.
The Huduma Number, a unique identification number, will be generated and issued through the National Integrated Identification System (NIIMS) portal, which is a one-stop online registration platform and will apply to every person residing in Kenya.
A lot of speculation is still ongoing as whether the registration system is centralized or decentralized. The Kenya Blockchain Taskforce has made a number of recommendations to the government in regards to the use of Blockchain in government services. It is still unclear whether a decentralized NIIMS portal was one of the recommendations.
Below are some details regarding the Huduma Number registration:
(i) Mass registration exercise for NIIMS/Huduma Namba will be conducted for a period of Forty-Five (45) days beginning 2nd April 2019.
(ii) Time for registration is from 7.00AM to 5.00PM daily including weekends and public holidays.
(iii) Registration for Huduma Namba (Number) is MANDATORY.
(iv) During the mass registration exercise, all citizens and foreigners residing in Kenya MUST be registered.
(v) Biometrics taken are Fingerprints and Facial picture ONLY.
(vi) DNA samples will NOT be taken during registration.
(vii) A person who is not registered under the Huduma Namba program will NOT access government service.
Registrations that will be harmonized into ONE Huduma Namba include:
√ Registration and replacement of ID Card;
√ Application and renewal of Driving License;
√ Registration for Passport and Alien Card;
√ Registration for NHIF and NSSF cards;
√ Registration for Birth and Death Certificates;
The Huduma Namba registration is expected to help curb ghost workers, illegal refugee influx, and in fostering service delivery more efficiently as one won’t have to carry loads of documents to get services.
