NAIROBI, KENYA: Kenya's leader has
launched a "one-stop shop" to access and
pay for government services electronically
in order to cut corruption and
bureaucracy.
President Uhuru Kenyatta said public
inefficiency had bred corruption, wasted
time and "cost billions".
A pilot centre has been set up in the
capital, Nairobi, where customers can
access a range of self-service counters
linked to government databases.
Known as Huduma centres, they will be
rolled out across the country.
Huduma, which means "service" in
Swahili, is part of a government plan to
fully digitise government services.
Kenya is one of Africa's most
technologically advanced countries, with a
widely used mobile phone money transfer
service and a cluster of tech start-ups.
But President Kenyatta said this had yet
to reach government services:
"For a long time Kenyans have been
subjected to moving from place to place
in search of services from the
government," he said at the launch of the
pilot centre.
"Kenyans and visitors became accustomed
to being frustrated numerous times in
their quest for public service: 'Come
tomorrow'; 'Go to this or that other office
first'; 'Bring a copy of your identity card';
and so on.
"Endless, static queues have been the
order of the day, wasting countless hours.
Public service became the epitome of
inefficiency. This inefficiency bred
corruption, initiating a cycle of vice which
has tormented many and cost the country
billions."
'Rude service illegal'
The BBC's Odhiambo Joseph in Nairobi
says dealing with Kenyan bureaucracy can
indeed be a costly and time-wasting
business.
Our reporter says he took a whole day off
work to order a replacement of his ID
card.
It involved reporting the loss at a police
station, going to a district officer to have
the loss certified, then going to the
national ID office and queuing for forms.
He then joined another queue to submit
the forms and then had to wait to be
called for finger-printing and queued
again to have a photo taken.
At most stages, he was asked for money
and then there was at least a three-
month wait until the card was ready,
which involved queuing again to collect it,
he says.
Under the new system, our reporter
should be able to report the loss and
apply for a replacement ID card at the
Huduma centre - and as the system is
connected directly to a government
database, there would be no need for
finger-printing and photos as his records
could be automatically accessed.
In properly managed queues, the
president said Kenyans would be able to
access 18 services from 10 government
agencies - from renewing a driving licence
and applying for health insurance to
registering a business and paying for
parking.
"I urge Kenyans to expect and demand
the highest service standards. I also
remind all public servants that rude,
reluctant, slow, or negligent service is
illegal," Mr Kenyatta said.
It was also matter of urgency for all
government departments to digitise and
automate their records and procedures,
he added.
Our correspondent says that once
Huduma is rolled out, people should be
able to track their applications online or
through their mobile phones and will also
be able to u se some services without
going into a centre.