Fate Of Huduma Namba Abstainees Revealed In Proposed Bill

Huduma Namba registration

After the government wrapped up the Huduma Namba registration, quite a number of Kenyans were yet to register. With a better understanding of how crucial Huduma Namba is, the government put into consideration all those who failed to apply, as they will have the opportunity to apply through their area assistant chiefs.

To smoothen things up, legislators have come up with a Huduma Bill 2019, whose objective is to make this digital national population database a single source of foundational and functional data for all resident individuals, provide mechanisms for registration of births, deaths and issuance of identity documents and to facilitate transparent and efficient delivery of public services.

Under the Bill, those who have registered for Huduma Namba will be issued with a Huduma Card containing all the personal details of the enrolled individuals. The proposed types of Huduma Cards will be; Minors’ Huduma card, for minors who have attained the age of six years, Adults’ Huduma card, for citizens who have attained the age of
eighteen years, Foreign nationals Huduma card, for resident adult non-citizens.

With the Huduma Namba, every individual resident shall have a mandatory obligation to present it in order to be issued with basic public services passport, driver’s license, paying taxes, transacting in financial markets, open a bank account, access universal health care benefits among others.

What will become of those who have shunned Huduma Namba? The Bill proposes hefty punishment for those for offences committed towards Huduma Namba and Huduma Card, which include fines and jail terms.

“Transaction without Huduma Namba and an offence for failure to register at birth will each attract one-year imprisonment or Ksh 1M fine. Any enrollment offences will be punishable by a five years jail term or Ksh 5M. Tampering with Huduma Card and unlawful production of Huduma Card will each be punished by three years imprisonment or Ksh 3M fine. Unauthorised disclosure of data and an offence for failure to register at death will be punishable by two years imprisonment or Ksh 2 Million. General penalty six months or Ksh 500,000,” reads a section of the Huduma Namba Bill 2019

If the bill assents into law, those Kenyans who are still resenting Huduma Namba will have to hit the road back home to their area chiefs in search for Huduma Namba or face a jail term. The choice is theirs.