Mombasa: Mombasa Huduma Centre has adopted innovation and community outreach to enhance government service delivery, serving an average of 2,400 clients daily.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Centre Manager Harrison Yogo stated that the facility, which ranks as the second busiest in the country after Nairobi's General Post Office Huduma Centre, operates with a total of 133 staff across 28 service desks, offering 88 services. The centre runs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., accommodating residents who work during the day.
"Our mandate is to transform public service delivery so that it is efficient, effective, accessible, and citizen-centric. Courtesy remains one of our key values, and we consistently train our staff to maintain high standards of customer service," Yogo said.
The Centre has established an innovation department where staff are encouraged to contribute ideas on improving service. Outstanding innovations are recognized through awards and incentives.
Digital solutions such as the Track My Service platform notify clients via SMS when documents like IDs, birth certificates, and driving licenses are ready. A feedback system allows clients to submit compliments or complaints, which are reviewed by the manager and staff.
"We are working to introduce a real-time feedback system, so that time-sensitive issues such as corruption or delays are resolved immediately," Yogo noted.
Through the Huduma Mashinani programme, the Centre collaborates with organisations, county governments, and NGOs to bring services closer to the community.
Last year, in partnership with Mombasa Cement, more than 30,000 residents accessed services at Kibarani Miracle Park, including ID and passport issuance, NSSF registration, and SHA enrollment.
Other collaborations with the County Government and the Women's Representative's office have supported the registration and training of women and youth groups to access government funds.
Mombasa Huduma Centre has been recognized nationally for excellence, including awards as the best performing Huduma Centre. The staff are motivated through internal training, recognition programmes, and participation in extracurricular activities such as football, choir, and environmental conservation.
The Centre has also adopted a children's home managed by the Salvation Army, where staff provide supplies and mentorship. Additionally, it partners with Swahilipot Hub to train youth on entrepreneurship, including registering self-help groups and learning to run cyber businesses such as filing tax returns.
Despite the progress, thousands of documents remain uncollected. Mr Yogo reported that 4,629 national identity cards, 1,650 birth certificates, 285 death certificates, and 19,777 driving licenses are still awaiting collection.