I have had occasion to seek government services in recent weeks and I am delighted to say things seem to be working, even when the nation seems to be in a state of paralysis. My last port of call was the Westlands DC’s office, where I took the eldest man of the house to secure a national ID, now that he’s come of age.
A gentleman called Kamau was very helpful, as were other attendants whose names I picked along the way: Bwana Nyaga did the finger-printing; Carol did the photo, and Stella was the one who did a “live capture,” which is a strange way of defining biometrics.
And I was offered a seat with the firm instructiton: “Mzee kaa chini!” I had no choice but to oblige.
And in Laikipia, where I am hoping to tap into my Housing levy contributions and build a manyatta, Richard Muchoki, a senior physical planner in the Laikipia West sub-county office delivered the construction approvals in three weeks flat.
One hopes the processes will be fully automated, as they are in Nairobi and Kiambu, among other counties, so drawings are filed remotely. But I was able to follow through the process in real time and pay official fees remotely. And Muchoki was ready and available to explain every step of the process.
I am hopeful that my experience was not the exception and that Kenyans are accessing service at both county and national levels with ease. My experience in Westlands and Laikipia gives me hope, and to all who assisted along the way, I have nothing but gratitude for setting a good example.
I have had occasion to seek government services in recent weeks and I am delighted to say things seem to be working, even when the nation seems to be in a state of paralysis. My last port of call was the Westlands DC’s office, where I took the eldest man of the house to secure a national ID, now that he’s come of age.
A gentleman called Kamau was very helpful, as were other attendants whose names I picked along the way: Bwana Nyaga did the finger-printing; Carol did the photo, and Stella was the one who did a “live capture,” which is a strange way of defining biometrics.
And I was offered a seat with the firm instructiton: “Mzee kaa chini!” I had no choice but to oblige.
And in Laikipia, where I am hoping to tap into my Housing levy contributions and build a manyatta, Richard Muchoki, a senior physical planner in the Laikipia West sub-county office delivered the construction approvals in three weeks flat.
One hopes the processes will be fully automated, as they are in Nairobi and Kiambu, among other counties, so drawings are filed remotely. But I was able to follow through the process in real time and pay official fees remotely. And Muchoki was ready and available to explain every step of the process.
I am hopeful that my experience was not the exception and that Kenyans are accessing service at both county and national levels with ease. My experience in Westlands and Laikipia gives me hope, and to all who assisted along the way, I have nothing but gratitude for setting a good example.
By Peter Kimani