Interior Principal Secretaries (PS) Karanja Kibicho on Tuesday, revealed a tight break down on how the ministry intends to use the Ksh6 billion allocated for the Huduma Namba initiative.
PS Kibicho made the revelation during an interview hosted on Radio Jambo, in which he went to provide a detailed account regarding the countrywide exercise.
“The first is buying the kits that cost Ksh1.7 billion. Thereafter, 50,000 people will be hired to do the registration at Ksh1,500 per day,” the PS divulged.
He went on to reveal that each designated sub-location would be furnished with five electronic kits to be manned by 5 members of the registrars’ team.
Kibicho also stated that the government had sourced the software installed in the registration kit locally, however, he did not delve into the details regarding the actual name of the company that was awarded the tender.
“The other cost is buying software, but the government decided to use Kenyan professionals to come up with the software,” he disclosed.
The Interior PS went on to emphasize that the process of registering for a Huduma Namba was not optional and that every Kenyan with the exemption of children below the age of 6, was required to visit the designated venues within the sub-location for registration.
He clarified that people need not move up-country as is usually the case when the Independent Election and Boundary Committee (IEBC) conducts the voter registration process.
“Kenyans can be registered wherever they are,” he asserted.
As to the allegations that the Huduma Namba registration process involved DNA tests, the PS was firm in his denial and was quick to rubbish the claims by alluding that it was practically impossible for the government to hold 50 million blood samples.
The Huduma Namba card has sparked differing reactions among Kenyans and is supposedly going to be used to access vital govt services like applying for an ID, passport, driving licence or a birth certificate.