• Governor says herders go search for water and pasture in places without electricity or roads or registration clerks
• Says marginalisation lowers allocation of resources
Image: Faith Matete
Isiolo Governor Mohamed Kuti has criticised the government's timing of the Huduma Namba registration, saying it will further marginalise the county.
Kuti said crucial government services like the census and general elections coincide with dry seasons when pastoralists have travelled far in search of water and pasture. He said they are left out as sometimes they leave the country.
“There are some parts of the county that are very remote and do not have roads. One has to use a donkey to get there after travelling for days, like Kuro Bisa Nugu which only choppers can access," he said.
"There is no electricity connection, I don’t know how the machines (digital tablets) will operate as there are many pastoralists going there."
The county boss said the Huduma Namba should not only be registered in Merti Isiolo and Garbatula as many will be left behind, which will lower the allocation of resources.
“Government resources are allocated according to the population so it is important for us to register. Lamu trails in the allocation of resources and we follow closely," Kuti said.
He added, "The census done 10 years ago left out many as some cultures also believe it is a bad omen to say the number of children one has. Some even have up to 20 and 30 children from many wives. They do not also reveal the number of herds they have."
He said security should be given to clerks to enable them to register as many people as possible. He urged Isiolo residents to "turn up in large numbers during all government processes to rectify that previous anomaly."
Woman Representative Rehema Jaldesa said registration of government programmes has been a problem, as is getting ID cards.
“The last census also came at a time of drought like now when many herders had moved away from the county to look for pasture for their animals,” Jaldesa said.
She said they had reservations regarding the Huduma Namba registration for fear of further marginalisation as people from the pastoralist communities continue being left out.
"Some even cross over to Ethiopia during dry spells like now, she said.
She asked all Kenyans to take part.
The MP took opposed the need for a marriage certificate when listing spouses, adding that most marriages were carried out informally and without documentation.
She also said some men had more than five wives while the application form has only five spaces for the names of spouses.
Labour CAS Abdul Bahari, who hails from the county, said the national government was committed to ensuring all Kenyans get registered despite some areas lacking mobile networks and electricity to recharge the registration devices.
Bakari noted that the details in all documents required during registration such as ID numbers and NHIF numbers were already with the government. "So the public should not worry about where the details would end up."
He said the most important thing was to turn up in person for biometrics — photos and fingerprints.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)