It was dog-eared; its spine broken and separating and it looked pitiful. The almost two decades of poor handling had definitely taken its toll and it showed. Years of being neglected and confined to a small space with the occasional break to be scrutinized as necessary were showing and it was at the breaking point and almost giving up the ghost. It was just a matter of time and the inevitable would happen and it would be rejected as undeserving of being considered of any positive use any more.
It was my national ID card that vital document that all Kenyans over the age of 18 are expected to acquire so as to give them access to jobs, services and recognition as bona fide citizens of the Republic of Kenya. It had spent the last 18 years in one wallet or another, constrained to spend more time than necessary in a cramped compartment a victim of circumstances that demanded that I have it on me and in its original form at all times to enable me identify myself at the MPesa agent, when entering a building or government establishment, cashing a cheque or when required to identify myself by a competent authority.
On its occasional forays out of its compartment squeezed in between ATM card, NSSF Card, Club membership card, business cards and other assorted flotsam unfortunate enough to find their way into my wallet, it had lain in countless pigeon holes in one building reception or another no doubt enjoying the fresh air it had been denied while in the wallet, had been photocopied countless times for one reason or another warming itself on the photocopier’s afterglow and its time was surely up. I had to get a replacement.
So it was with some trepidation that I visited the Huduma Centre in Nyeri when I saw the sign had been put up announcing its arrival intent on obtaining a replacement ID as soon as possible. I was however first time unlucky as they were just setting up shop and not yet ready to serve the public as I was informed. I was however taken aback by the friendliness of the staff with one particular guy engaging me with promises of WOW! services devoid of the usual sloth and delays within the government bureaucracy that we had all come to accept as the hallmark of service in government.
The set up was also warm, inviting, pleasant and welcoming with the usual government issue furniture replaced by decor and color schemes more suited to a busy commercial office of a successful mobile service provider, with the staff resplendent in smart uniforms. I was told that the centre would be ready to serve customers in another two weeks and was requested to go back then.
I gave it three weeks and I was back. Would they now be ready to serve me or was it just the usual long on promises and short on commitment business? After being given a numbered token from the token machine which even lets you know how long you may be expected to wait based on others ahead of you in the queue, I was ushered in and ask to wait the inevitable newspaper reading material under my armpit as I did not know how long my stay would be but had enough experience to know that it could be a long wait.
However to my surprise and in less than a minute my number was rang up to be served at the appropriate counter and after stating my case and getting sage nods that indeed my ID required replacement after proffering the offending document, I was taken through the process that required copying my details from the system (thank God my identity was intact) and signing on the dotted line, taking messy finger prints (electronic finger print capture not yet available) and then having a digital photo taken all of which took less than 5 minutes. I was then offered the acknowledgement slip from the application form and asked to wait two weeks after which I would receive a text message advising me that the document was ready for collection and requesting me to go with the dilapidated excuse of an ID that I had to be surrendered to its rightful owners the government of the Republic of Kenya in exchange for the new one!
On the 14th day I received a text message requesting that I go and collect my ID Card at the Huduma Centre which I promptly did not believing that they were actually able to deliver on their promise and true to their word it was ready and waiting, a brand spanking new ID card with a color digital photo and in laminated plastic much like the debit card issued by my bank. It really was possible for the service charter of the government despite the thousands of bureaucrats that serve in this colossus employer to be met in regards to a simple thing as getting a replacement ID card. Would this also be possible in the myriad other requests that we make at government offices daily but that then take an inordinately long period of time to process frustrating budding businessmen, potential investors and others?
I think the Huduma Centre concept where all government departments are represented under one roof is a brilliant idea as you can be served at specific counters handling issues relating to a service managed by a particular government ministry rather than going office hopping from one to another. The beauty of the whole concept also is that the centres appear networked either to their parent ministry data base or through a portal where all relevant records are retrievable as necessary. If the level of service that I witnessed can be sustained and the levels of comfort, cleanliness and decorum maintained then we are surely on the right track for government to compete effectively in service provision with the private sector.
If this is the way that things shall be done then surely the backbone of poor customer service in government has been broken and corporates better watch out. It is hats off from me and should the need ever arise for me to seek the services of a government ministry or department in future then the Huduma Centre it shall be.
Kudos and well done!!
