Lobby group threatens to move to court if Parliament passes Huduma Bill

Sheria Mtaani has threatened to move to court if Parliament goes ahead and passes the Huduma Bill.

The lobby group says that it has written a memorandum to Parliament to consider a number of issues before passing the bill.

According to lawyer Paul Macharia, the bill threatens to cause a radical change that includes taking the power of immigration to the Interior Principal Secretary’s office.

The group argues that if passed, the bill will negatively impact the careers of immigration officers and affect donor support of studies.

It is nearly one week since Parliament published the Huduma Bill 2021, after the issuance of a public notice.

The proposed law provides for the establishment of the National Integrated Identity Management System database, which will lead to the establishment of Huduma Namba and Huduma Card.

On the administration of the National Integrated Identity Management System, the Huduma Bill seeks to abolish some key government departments which include those in charge of registration of births and deaths, National ID and Immigration, placing them squarely at the Interior Principal Secretary's desk.

The Bill sponsored by National Assembly Majority leader Amos Kimunya has however received objection from various quarters.

“I’m aware that there’s a Huduma Bill, and that Huduma Bill is extremely dangerous because it will convert all immigration officers into nymphs. How dare you say that a passport is a primary document? It is not a primary document, we know that what is a primary document is a national ID and the birth certificate,” said Narok Senator Ledama ole Kina.

In a memorandum, the Directorate of Immigration Services has faulted the bill which seeks to lump together government agencies whose functions are separate and distinct.

The directorate says the database is a national population register and cannot on its own replace immigration functions.

It also fears proposed changes will impact negatively on careers of immigration officers and affect donor support of studies related to immigration. It now wants public participation in the process.

The Huduma Bill also proposes that IEBC uses its database as the source of the main voter register, causing more outrage across the country.