Huduma Kenya programme wins top UN award for improving service delivery

Devolution and Planning Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru receives a Trophy from Lenni Montiel, the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs on behalf of the Kenyan Government for the Huduma Kenya Program

The Huduma Kenya Programme implemented by the Ministry of Devolution and Planning has been declared this year’s winner of the United Nations Public Service Award in improving delivery of public services.

Kenya won the Public Service Award for 2015 for the programme. The United Nations Public Service Awards is the most prestigious international recognition of excellence in public service.

The UN said Huduma centres are improving the way ordinary citizens receive quality government services.The e-government programme is among 22 institutions awarded during this year’s UN Public Service Day.

Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru received the award last Friday on behalf of the government in Medellin, Colombia, in South America by Lenni Montiel, the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.

It rewards the creative achievements and contributions of public service institutions towards a more effective and responsive public administration worldwide.

The award comes barely a month after the Programme won the African Gold Award on Innovative Management from the Association of African Public Administration and Management and two other Kenyan awards in 2014 on best Customer Service by the Institute of Customer Service Kenya and Best use of ICT in the Public Sector by the ICT Association of Kenya.

The Programme won after overcoming stiff competition from over a total of 898 submissions with 528 entries in this category of which 59 entries were from Africa.

President Kenyatta commended the Huduma Kenya Programme for this great achievement. CS Waiguru said the Ministry is committed to serving Kenyans under the one-stop-shop approach to public service delivery. The programme will go a long way towards achieving that goal.

She said that she appreciated the fact that Huduma Programme is already proving to be a showcase in efficient and effective public service delivery.