Only 618, 154 Kenyans have registered for the National Integrated Identification Management System (NIIMS), popularly known as Huduma Namba in Siaya County, it has emerged.
According to Siaya County Commissioner Michael Ole Tialal, the county was targeting 1.02 million people before its deadline on May 17, but is only half way to the target, only a week to the conclusion of the exercise.
However, he says that they are expecting to register 90 per cent of the locals, blaming the lack of birth certificates and identification cards among locals on the poor registration performance.
“We were targeting to register 1.02 million people at the end of the exercise on May 17. This is a positive progress and we are hoping that by the end of the exercise, we shall have registered at least 90 per cent,” he told the Standard.
The exercise has on the other hand been hailed by county Governor Cornel Rasanga who says that it will save his leadership from the ghost workers headache.
Speaking during the launch of the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Memorial Park in Bondo on Thursday, he urged citizens to take advantage of the mass registration to be enlisted.
“I would like to urge all the eligible citizens to ensure that they all register for Huduma Namba because it will also help the government in planning,” he said.
The county doubles up as the backyard of opposition leader Raila Odinga who participated in the launch of the exercise last month and has been encouraging Kenyans to get registered.