An initiative that creates a platform for citizens to voice their concerns and demand improved service delivery in Kenya is already creating a lot of impact in getting leaders and government officers.
The initiative dubbed HUDUMA, is a citizens initiative of Social Development Network
(SODNET) in partnership with USHAHIDI, UN Millennium Campaign and Twaweza.
The goal of the strategy is to contribute to the improvement of service delivery by providing simple technology/media based tools and channels to amplify citizens concerns, displeasure, complaints, or suggestions on their perceptions on service delivery by duty bearers.
Huduma intends to nurture more vibrant a more vibrant citizenry that is able to make demands for improved service delivery, more accountability and robust democratization process through increased grassroots participation.
The channels allow citizens to to report a number of issues or complaints e.g lack of water, medicines, potholes,, lack of teachers, to an huduma channel, mostly an SMS number (3018). The conversation, including feedback, are managed through the huduma channels.
Sodnet Executive Director Prof Edward Oyugi speaks at the Capacity Building Workshop on the Huduma initiative in Nairobi.
The initiative initially focused on six counties, namely Nairobi-Langata, Muranga, Bungoma, Kisumu and Pokot, but it has now expanded to other areas of Kenya and is currently being scaled up in other countries. In each country, the action will work with professional groups as a means of verifying citizens demands.
The initiative has already began to create demands for improved service delivery and has been attracting participation from different areas of the country from citizens who are keen to voice concerns.This has been witnessed in Langata in Nairobi and in other regions where those in authority have been able to respond to citizens queries.
As part of the efforts to up scale it in Kenya and in the Eastern Africa Region, SODNET has recently organized a capacity building workshop which drew participants from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Ethiopia at Nairobi's Methodist Guest House , on December 2-3, 2011.
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| Some of the participants at the workshop. The blogger, Oloo Janak checks the information about Huduma. |
The issue of service delivery is big and increasingly, citizens are looking for ways to amplify their voices and this technology will prove useful in getting citizens to direct their complaints.
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