Residents of Mombasa have renewed calls for the establishment of more Huduma Centres across the county, citing congestion, long queues and high transport costs associated with accessing government services.
The appeal was made during a Huduma Mashinani outreach programme held in Tudor Mwisho area at Uwanja wa Sinema , where residents accessed free documentation and health services.
Huduma Centre Mombasa Manager Harrison Yogo said the county currently operates only one Huduma Centre, which serves all sub-counties, putting immense pressure on the facility. He said the situation forces residents to travel long distances, sometimes at high cost, to access basic services.
“At the moment, Mombasa has only one Huduma Centre serving the entire county. This is not sustainable given the population,” Yogo said.
“We are calling for at least three additional Huduma Centres in Likoni, Changamwe and Jomvu, and Kisauni so that wananchi can access services closer to where they live,” he added.
Yogo noted that while the main Huduma Centre serves up to 2,400 people daily, grassroots outreach programmes target about 500 residents per day.
“When we take services to the grassroots, we are able to reach people who would otherwise struggle to come to town because of transport costs or long queues,” he said.
Residents who benefited from the outreach said decentralising services would significantly improve access. Saumu Abdalla, a resident of Tudor, said bringing services closer to the community saves time for people engaged in labour-intensive work.
“Many of us work long hours in the informal sector, and getting time to go to town for these services is difficult. Having them brought here has helped us a lot,” she said.
Another resident, Esther Atieno, said she was able to access both health services and documentation support during the exercise.
“I received medical help and I am also processing a birth certificate for my child. If these services were only available in town, I would have spent money I do not have,” she said.
The outreach was organised in partnership with Lulu ya Jamii, community groups and private health providers, offering services such as national ID registration, birth certificates, SHA registration and free medical check-ups.
Media personality and community organiser Lulu Hassan, who partnered with Huduma Centre and private health providers to support the outreach, said long queues at the sole Huduma Centre were a clear sign that Mombasa needs more facilities.
“When you pass by the Huduma Centre near GPO, the queues are extremely long. That is when it became clear to me that one centre cannot serve the entire county,” Lulu said.
“Many people want these services, but even the fare to town is a problem. If services are brought closer to the community, residents save that money and still get what they need,”she added.
The outreach also provided free health services through a partnership with City Health Hospital, including blood pressure and diabetes screening, nutrition consultations and medication. The high turnout underscored the need to integrate essential government and health services at the community level.
Leaders and residents urged the government to fast-track the establishment of additional Huduma Centres across Mombasa, saying it would improve efficiency, reduce congestion and ensure equitable access to public services.Organisers said the exercise demonstrated the urgent need to decentralise Huduma Centres in Mombasa to improve service delivery and reduce the burden on the single existing centre.