In Kenya, audit finds Huduma operated for 12 years without legal framework — Nation Kenya
In Kenya, an audit by the State Department for Public Service for the 2023/24 financial year found that the Huduma Kenya Secretariat had operated for 12 years without a policy and legislative framework. As a result, the legality of the body coordinating the network of Huduma public service delivery centres could not be confirmed, Nation Kenya reports.
Auditor’s observations
Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu noted that the Huduma Kenya programme was established through Gazette Notice No. 2177 of April 4, 2014. The programme was to operate under the oversight of the Service Delivery Summit, chaired by the president of Kenya and required to meet twice a year.
A technical committee was also provided for, to be chaired by the Cabinet Secretary responsible for devolution or interior affairs. It included nine principal secretaries and the Solicitor-General. One of the committee’s tasks was to develop policy and legislation for the Huduma Kenya Secretariat and submit them to the Service Delivery Summit for approval.
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However, minutes of meetings of neither the summit nor the technical committee were provided for the audit. According to Gathungu, since its establishment in 2014, the secretariat had lacked the policy and legislative framework stipulated by the Gazette Notice.
Questions from the parliamentary committee
The violations were considered by the Public Accounts Committee of Kenya’s National Assembly. Wajir South MP Mohamed Adow asked what measures the department had taken to create the required legal framework. Turkana Central MP Joseph Emaite Namwar said that due to the absence of such a framework, anyone could go to court seeking to halt the operation of Huduma centres.
Principal Secretary for Public Service and Human Capital Development Jane Kere Imbunya said that the Service Delivery Summit last met in 2014. According to her, a working group this year prepared proposals that were incorporated into a document. Imbunya also said that the document is with Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Geoffrey Ruku and is later to be submitted to the Cabinet for consideration.
