Residents of Gatundu North and Gatundu South sub-counties have been urged to make greater use of the Kamwangi Huduma Centre to access government services.

Kamwangi Huduma Centre manager Susan Ndisya said the facility, opened in January, had served 44,578 customers, but more residents needed to take advantage of the services available locally.

She said the center had eased access to government services by saving residents the time and transport costs associated with travelling several kilometres to the Huduma Center in Thika town.

She said wider uptake of the facility would enable more residents to benefit from services brought closer to them and maximise the investment in decentralising government services.

Before its establishment, residents seeking services such as civil registration, national identity documents, police clearance, and National Social Security Fund (NSSF) services had to travel to Thika.

The centre which is located in Chania Ward, Gatundu North, serves the two sub-counties and hosts services from several government agencies, including the Social Health Authority (SHA), NSSF, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), National Registration Bureau, National Construction Authority, Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority, and Uwezo Fund.

Other services available include police clearance and abstracts, pension services, cyber services, government procurement opportunities, and selected county government services.

Ndisya also urged residents who had applied for national identity cards to collect them, saying 91 uncollected IDs were currently at the center.

She encouraged residents to share information about the services offered at the centre saying increased awareness would help more people access government services without travelling to other towns.

Residents lauded the Centre, saying its establishment has eased access to government services, saved them time and reduced transport costs, making service delivery more convenient.

“We no longer have to travel far to access these services. The centre has made a big difference because residents can now access government services locally,” said resident Eric Mwangi.

By Charles Muoki