Kenya to Launch Sh30 Million Huduma-Jitume Centre in Nandi County

Nandi, Kenya – The Kenyan government has announced plans to construct a Sh30 million state-of-the-art Huduma-Jitume centre in Nandi County. This initiative, revealed by Public Service, Performance, and Delivery Management Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria, aims to merge Huduma centres with digital hubs, known as ‘jitume,’ enhancing service delivery and job creation opportunities for the youth.

According to Kenya News Agency, the National Youth Service (NYS) will oversee the construction of this model centre, with work set to commence next week. The centre’s location will be decided in collaboration with Nandi Governor Stephen Sang and other elected leaders. This initiative is part of the broader Huduma Kenya program, launched in 2013, and the Digital Hub project started in 2018 by the Ministry of ICT and Digital Economy. These programs are designed to offer accessible, dignified, and efficient public services, and equip young Kenyans with vital technology skills for the digital job market.

The Ministry will collaborate with the National Government-Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) for additional funding. The facility will feature high-speed internet and modern equipment. Kuria also highlighted the NYS’s contribution of 2.5 million tree seedlings nationwide, emphasizing the importance of regular tree planting to combat climate change.

Principal Secretary of the State Department for Information, Communication, and Digital Economy, Eng. John Tanui, stressed the role of digitization in reducing the need for paper, thus aiding in forest conservation. The government’s use of digital communication methods like emails, WhatsApp, and SMS has lessened the demand for paper.

Eng. Tanui also mentioned plans to expand fiber optic infrastructure across the country, including schools, Tvet institutions, universities, and market centres in Nandi County. This expansion will support the creation of digital hubs in each sub-county, encouraging youth participation in the digital space for job creation and income generation.

Governor Stephen Sang of Nandi appealed to the Chief Conservator of Forests for measures to protect the newly planted trees to ensure they reach maturity. He expressed a goal to increase the county’s forest cover from 16.9 percent to 25 percent, calling for strategies that empower communities and enable them to benefit from forest resources.