Huduma Namba: Everything You Need To Know 

Huduma Namba is the equivalent of the Social Security Number (SSN) number in the US. The National Integrated Identity Management Information System (NIIMS) is the agency responsible for collecting biometric data and generating a unique number famously called the Huduma Namba. 

The highly controversial yet promising Huduma Namba is meant to help Kenyans access various government services, thus eliminating the need to carry bulky registration and identification documents.

The initial introduction of the service was anything but smooth as many people faced long queues, system slowdowns, and fingerprint details not being captured. Huduma Namba has also received condemnation from activists as well as the general public, more so regarding mixed communication from the government. 

However, as we shall see in this article, the service does hold a lot of promise concerning how you as a citizen receive services from your government.

In this article, we will discuss the importance of Huduma Namba and why every Kenyan should keep their Huduma details updated.

Intended Functions of Huduma Namba 

The overall goal of Huduma Namba is to develop a National Integrated Biometric Population Database as “The single source of truth” of information on the identity of all citizens and foreigners living in Kenya. 

How Does The Huduma Number Work?

The Huduma Namba database will be created by the collection of individuals’ biometric and photographic data. This will then be followed by harmonizing and combining all information related to the exercise, from different databases from all other government agencies.

The database will be managed, maintained, and operated by the Huduma Namba Secretariat, as a national population register. This will be followed by assigning a unique national identification number to every person registered, popularly referred to as the Huduma Namba. 

The Huduma Namba secretariat is expected to support the printing and distribution of all national identification cards, foreigner certificates, births and death certificates, driving licenses, work permits, passports and student identification cards.

Benefits of Huduma Namba

Huduma Namba Will Help Increase Food Security

Through the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Irrigation, The National Government aims to achieve 100% national food and nutrition security. 

To achieve this target, a national database of farming households, and all farmers in the country, is therefore needed for this to be made possible. A national database of all farmers in Kenya will give the government a clear picture of the food preparedness and capacity of the country. 

The Huduma Namba database will provide biometric data of farmers, which will be a reference point for further registration of other fields. This includes the distribution of resources such as fertilizers to farmers. The collection and centralization of biometric data will help to avoid the duplication of data, therefore enhancing efficiency in the use of public resources.

Huduma Namba Will Help in Providing Affordable Healthcare

Information obtained through Huduma Namba will be used in the registration and provision of universal healthcare services, through the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF). This will facilitate planning for the achievement of universal healthcare.

The information will be easily accessible for use by relevant stakeholders in the health sector, such as hospitals. It is therefore important that accurate patient identification is made to give proper diagnosis and treatment. 

If you provide correct Huduma Namba identification details, both you and your dependents will be able to enjoy the intended free universal healthcare services by the government.

Huduma Namba Will Promote Affordable Housing

Housing is a necessity that humans can’t do without. However, many Kenyans still face challenges in accessing decent, affordable housing. 

Biometric data captured from Huduma Namba will give a clear indication of the total number of households in Kenya, together with the number of family members in each household. This information will help the government in assessing the housing demand in the country.

The information will therefore be crucial for use by the government when planning for future housing projects, to meet its housing targets.

Huduma Namba Will Boost the Manufacturing and Production Sector

As of 2014, Kenya became officially classified as a lower-middle-income country. However, more still needs to be done to increase income levels of individuals and households. 

The manufacturing sector has been identified as one of the sectors with the potential to achieve this. Hence the government has been putting in place various incentives to encourage investment in this sector. 

Huduma Namba will contain biodata on the employment status of every individual. To attract investors in the Manufacturing sector and spur growth in the labor market, updated data on persons is needed for planning purposes.

Huduma Number Will Increase Security

Kenya has in the past been a victim of terror attacks, the more recent one being the infamous Dusit D2 Hotel attack. Terror suspects have been linked to travels outside the country, more specifically to Somalia where the Al Shabaab terror group is located. 

As stated earlier, Huduma Namba will comprise a database of the biodata of all individuals residing in the country, both foreign and Kenyan nationals. This database will help the government monitor the movement of people both into and out of the country.

By keeping records of sensitive data of both citizens and foreigners, the government will be better placed to identify threats to security and track down individuals who are a risk to Kenya’s security.

FAQs About Huduma Namba

Is Huduma Namba Legit?

Yes, Huduma Namba is a free and genuine service offered by the government under the Ministry of Interior and Coordination for the National Government and the Ministry of ICT, Innovation, and Youth Affairs. 

The program is governed under the Registration of Persons Act, Registration of Births and Deaths Act, Access to Information Act, Kenya Information Communications Act, Computer Misuses and Cybercrimes Act, and the Kenya Citizens and Foreign Nationals Registration Act. 

The Huduma Namba project was initiated through Executive Order No.1 (2018). It is therefore important that all Kenyan citizens, as well as foreign nationals residing in Kenya, register for the service to facilitate easy access to government services.

How Much Did the Huduma Namba Project Cost? 

Initial government estimates put the Huduma Namba project costs to be between Ksh. 5 Billion and Ksh. 6 Billion, with more estimates putting the cost to Ksh. 7.7 Billion. 

Most of the Huduma-number associated costs stem from hiring those doing the registration on the ground as well as costs for buying the registration kits.

I Don`t Have a Huduma Namba, What Can I Do?

If you did not register for a Huduma Namba, there will be a second round of the Huduma Namba mass registration exercise before the end of 2020, where you will have the opportunity to register. 

After the second mass registration exercise, all kits will be left at chiefs and assistant chiefs’ offices throughout the country where registration will continue.

Do Children Have Huduma Numbers?

Yes, children are required to be registered for Huduma Namba. Those above 6 years will have their biometric details and photos captured. They will then be issued with a children’s Huduma e-card. 

The e-card should be surrendered within 90 days of attaining 18 years to a NIIMS registration officer, who will issue them with the Adults’ Huduma e-card. 

Those below this age will not have their biometrics or photos captured, but will instead have their details captured under their parents’ or guardians’ profiles.

Should I Renew My Huduma Namba?

No, there is no requirement for the renewal of a Huduma Namba. You will only be required to pay a fee for the renewal of a Huduma E-card. 

Upon attaining the age of 18 years individuals will also be required to surrender their Huduma Minors E-Cards to be issued with an adult’s Huduma E-Card.

Do People Abroad Have Huduma Namba?

Yes, all Kenyan nationals living abroad will be required to present themselves to the nearest Kenyan embassy or consulate to register for Huduma Namba.

What Happens If I Don’t Register for a Huduma Namba?

At the moment, you will continue receiving government services even without registering for a Huduma Namba. This is after a court ruling stated that government services shall continue being offered indiscriminately whether you are registered for Huduma Namba or not. 

However, this is only for a limited time, as the intended purpose is that the Huduma Namba will eventually replace all other identification documents that are needed to access various government services. 

Moreover, the Huduma Bill 2019 that is currently in Parliament proposes several penal measures for not complying with the various provisions of the bill. These include imprisonment for up to 5 years for transacting without a Huduma Namba. Failure to register a birth within 90 days could also attract a penalty of up to Ksh. 1 Million, or imprisonment for up to 1 year. 

Furthermore, not registering a death within 30 days draws a fine of up to Ksh. 2 million or imprisonment for up to 2 years.

What is the Huduma Number e-Card?

The Huduma e-Card is an electronic card that will be issued upon registration of a Huduma Number. The e-Card will contain an electronic chip that will store all an individual’s data in it, which include, NSSF, NHIF, and National IDs.

Where Can I get Huduma Number Assistance?

You can get assistance on Huduma Namba from your nearest registration office and Assistant Chief’s office. Once the second mass registration exercise is complete, you will also be able to get assistance from the Office of the Registrar of Persons.

Kenyans abroad can also get assistance at their nearest Kenyan consulate or embassy.

Interesting Myths About Huduma Namba

Huduma Number Is a Money Laundering Scheme

Let’s face it, Kenya has been plagued with various corruption scandals, and perhaps hearing of this allegation, many would have immediately fallen for it. However, there have not been any facts whatsoever linking the exercise to any money laundering activities.

Initially, people were skeptical about why Huduma e-Cards were not being issued right after phase one, claiming the government was behind a massive money-laundering scheme. This was later addressed and dismissed as “unfounded and baseless.”  

Huduma Number is a way to Steal Elections

This is perhaps one of the more sensational claims that have caught the attention of Kenyans. The claim was made by a section of the political class about the upcoming 2022 general elections. It stated that there is foreign involvement in the management of the data involved in the exercise. 

In response to these claims, the Principal Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Interior is on record assuring that no component of the process is handled by foreigners.

Huduma Number is the Mark Of the Devil/Illuminati

As a rumor that elicited condemnation from the Head of State himself, this claim points to a link between Huduma Namba and the biblical number 666 that is referenced in the book of Revelation. 

In contrast to scripture readings on 666, the NIIMS or Huduma Namba will only be rolled out in Kenya as opposed to the world, meaning it cannot actually be true. 

We as C.O.K find these claims to be interesting. However, we do not find any hard facts to support these myths. Nonetheless, we leave it to you, the reader, to judge for yourself.

Data Privacy Concerns

With the rather interesting myths on Huduma Namba, there also have been some legitimate concerns about the privacy and security of Kenyans’ data collected. This is because Huduma Namba will essentially mean that information on all Kenyans will be accessible from a single source. Hence, in the event of an intrusion it will make it easier to manipulate the data. 

Furthermore, there were concerns that Huduma Namba would involve the collection of DNA and GPS location of individuals. However, these concerns were addressed with The Data Protection Bill 2018, whereby a framework for the handling of user data has been put in place. 

A court ruling okayed the exercise, provided that DNA and GPS Information was not collected. 

So you can breathe a sigh of relief having the knowledge that laws have been put in place to protect your data.

Conclusion

The Huduma Namba initiative is aimed at creating and managing a central master population database that will harmonize all identification data. The database will contain information of all Kenyan citizens and foreign nationals residing in Kenya.

There have been different speculations and legitimate concerns surrounding the exercise. However, this has led to frameworks being put in place to safeguard the data collected in this exercise.

All in all, the concept of Huduma Namba is aimed at helping the government in the provision of services to its people, thus meaning better service delivery to you.