68,00 IDs in Nairobi's Huduma centres still uncollected

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero will now use sub-county officers and ward officers to help trace the owners of 68,000 uncollected identity cards still lying in Huduma centres.

Speaking Tuesday at the GPO Huduma centre Dr Kidero said that the county will look for innovative ways to ensure that the IDs reach their owners.

“We will [list] names and contacts of the people who have not collected their IDs and with the teams at the sub-county and ward levels we will identify who these people are and get them to collect their IDs,” said Dr Kidero.

The governor attributed the large number of uncollected IDS in the city to the fact that most of those who have applied are casual workers who find it difficult to visit the Huduma centres during normal working hours.

EXTEND HUDUMA WORKING HOURS

Dr Kidero urged the Huduma centres to extend their working hours and also open during weekends to accommodate more people who have a busy schedule.

The governor attributed the low turnout in the ongoing voter registration to lack of IDs despite President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive that they be ready within three days.

He added that in Nairobi, only 50 per cent have turned up to register.

He said if the IDs at Huduma centres are collected, this will boost voter registration numbers.

Speaking at the same forum, GPO Huduma Centre manager Florence Shambati said that the city has unique problems which make it difficult to trace people, in the rural areas where chiefs know people in their jurisdictions.

“We are having issues with IDs in Nairobi as so many people, including street children, are applying [for them] but they are not collecting them,” said Shambati.