By Stanley Mumo
Residents of Makueni County are now accessing key government services more easily following a partnership between the county government and Huduma Kenya that has already served more than 63,000 people since December last year.
Speaking during an inspection of the initiative, Mutula Kilonzo Jr., the Governor of Makueni County, said the program was launched on December 12 in collaboration with Huduma Kenya to bring multiple government services together in one place and reduce the burden on citizens who previously had to travel long distances.
Governor Mutula said the Huduma Kenya Chief Executive Officer, Benjamin Chilumo, visited the county to assess the progress of the initiative after receiving reports from officers on the ground that the services being offered were unique and had not been implemented elsewhere in the country.
According to the governor, thousands of residents have already benefited from services including national ID processing, land-related inquiries, pension services, and student loan applications.
“Many of the people receiving these services here would normally spend a lot of money traveling from one office to another,” Mutula said. “We decided to work with Huduma Kenya so that citizens can come to one place, ask questions, and get answers immediately.”
The governor noted that special desks had been set up to handle land searches, succession matters, title deeds, pension inquiries, and claims related to unclaimed financial assets. These services help families resolve issues involving property and funds left behind by deceased relatives.
Mutula also revealed that the initiative has assisted students seeking financial support from the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB). Since the program began, about Sh3.5 million in HELB loans has been processed for students in the county.
Huduma Kenya CEO Benjamin Chilumo said the initiative reflects the original vision behind Huduma Centres, which were created more than a decade ago by the Government of Kenya to transform public service delivery.
“Before Huduma Centres were established, citizens had to travel long distances and visit several government offices just to get one service,” Chilumo said. “The idea was to bring government services under one roof and make them easier for citizens to access.”
Meanwhile, Douglas Mbilu, the Speaker of the Makueni County Assembly, praised the initiative and described it as one of the most meaningful forms of development.
“There is no better development than helping citizens access essential services,” Mbilu said. “Even if you build roads or water projects, people will still struggle if they cannot get documents like IDs or birth certificates.”
He called on both county and national governments to expand the program to grassroots levels so that services reach citizens closer to their homes.
Leaders present during the visit said the success of the initiative in Makueni could serve as a model for other counties across the country, with calls for similar service centers to be established nationwide to improve efficiency and reduce bureaucratic delays.
Officials say the program will continue and may be expanded to ensure more residents can access critical government services without unnecessary travel or expenses.
