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Long queues as Kenyans rush to beat Huduma Namba deadline – VIDEO and PHOTOS


Kenyans are in the middle of a last-minute rush to register for Huduma Namba with long queues being witnessed in most registration centres in Nairobi.

A spot check by Nairobi News on Wednesday revealed that hundreds of people queuing for hours to get registered with only two days left to the conclusion of the exercise.

“Typical of the Kenyan spirit, I postponed registration till the last week and I didn’t know it will be like this. I have been standing here for almost four hours and the queue is still getting longer,” said one man who spoke to Nairobi News at the Kenya National Achieves, within the city’s CBD.

LONG QUEUES

A woman at Tena Estate’s Administration Police post said she arrived at the centre as early as 5am only to find a very long queue.

The situation was similar at GPO within Nairobi’s CBD, where many people started queuing as early as 6am.

On Monday the Interior Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang’i, said that the May 18, 2019 deadline for the mass registration exercise will not be extended.

Residents of Nairobi queue next to Nacico Plaza along Landhies Road in a last minute rush to register for Huduma Namba on May 15, 2019. PHOTO | FRANCIS NDERITU
Residents of Nairobi queue next to Nacico Plaza along Landhies Road in a last minute rush to register for Huduma Namba on May 15, 2019. PHOTO | FRANCIS NDERITU

NO EXTENSION

The CS also said Huduma Namba registration centres will remain open for extended hours 6am to 6pm to allow more Kenyans to register.

Dr Matiang’i said that when the mass registration exercise concludes, the registration kits will be handed to Assistant Chiefs where anyone who will not have registered will be able to do so.

However, many of those who spoke to Nairobi News urged the government to extend registration time.

Residents of Mathare Constituency queue to register for Huduma Namba at Huruma Chief's office on May 15, 2019. The center has been receiving more than 1,000 residents daily since Monday this week as the deadline for the exercise draws near. PHOTO | FRANCIS NDERITU
Residents of Mathare Constituency queue to register for Huduma Namba at Huruma Chief’s office on May 15, 2019. The center has been receiving more than 1,000 residents daily since Monday this week as the deadline for the exercise draws near. PHOTO | FRANCIS NDERITU