Auditor’s concerns on Huduma Centres
By Mercy Mwai, July 26, 2025Auditor General Nancy Gathungu has raised serious concerns over the continued existence and operations of the Huduma Kenya Secretariat, citing a lack of legal and policy framework more than a decade after its establishment.
In her 2023/2024 financial year audit report, Gathungu noted that since its inception in 2014, the Huduma Kenya Secretariat has operated without any enabling policy or legislation, as required by Gazette Notice No. 2177 of April 4, 2014, which established the Huduma Kenya Service Delivery Programme.
“In the circumstances, the legality of the Huduma Kenya Secretariat operations could not be confirmed,” the Auditor General states.
The report highlights that despite provisions in the gazette notice requiring the Service Delivery Summit—tasked with oversight—to meet twice a year, no minutes or evidence of such meetings were presented for audit review.
Similarly, the Technical Committee, chaired by either the Cabinet Secretary for Devolution or the Interior Ministry and comprising nine Principal Secretaries and the Solicitor General, failed to develop the required policy and legislation for Huduma Kenya.
The Auditor General warned that this administrative lapse could undermine the legitimacy of Huduma Centres, which are vital one-stop shops for essential government services such as National ID and birth certificate applications, driving licenses, KRA PIN registration, police clearance certificates, access to HELB, NHIF, NSSF services and passport applications.
Further concerns were raised about the unauthorised occupation of 23 Huduma Centres housed within Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK) premises.
The report states that there is no formal lease agreement between the Huduma Kenya Secretariat and PCK, raising questions about rent and utility payments.
According to the Auditor General, PCK has lodged a claim of Ksh1.66 billion for rent and utility costs.
However, the Attorney General’s legal opinion recommended that PCK engage the Accounting Officer at the State Department for Public Service to negotiate a reasonable figure.
If no agreement is reached, mediation by the Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service is to be pursued, as per Section 68 of the Public Finance Management Act, 2012.
An audit inspection revealed that the valuation and confirmation of the actual space occupied by Huduma Centres in PCK buildings is still ongoing.
“In the circumstances, the legality of the occupation of the Posta premises by Huduma Centres could not be ascertained, and this may affect operations,” the report cautions.
The audit report also flagged multiple irregularities within the State Department for Public Service, including Poor Succession Planning and that 60 per cent of staff (176 out of 294) are aged over 45, raising fears of a looming exodus of experienced personnel within the next decade.
She gave the age breakdown in the order of 24–35 years, making about 15 per cent; 36–44 years, making 25 per cent; 45–54 years, making 34 per cent and 55–64 years, making 26 per cent.
“This indicates poor succession planning… Effectiveness of internal controls relating to Human Resource Management could not be confirmed.”
The State Department lacks both an IT Strategy Committee and an IT Steering Committee, contrary to Section 6.2 of the IT Governance Standard by the ICT Authority.
The absence of these structures leaves the department vulnerable to unclear information security policies and risks to ICT assets.
Payroll analysis found that nine officers had deductions exceeding one-third of their basic salary, contrary to Section 19(3) of the Employment Act, 2007.
“In the circumstances, Management was in breach of the law,” the report notes. Out of 294 employees, 117 (40 per cent) hail from the same ethnic community. Furthermore, 34 per cent of senior staff (Job Group P–U) are from this group, breaching Section 7 (2) of the National Cohesion and Integration Act, 2008, which caps staff from one ethnic community at one-third per public establishment.
“In the circumstances, Management was in breach of the law,” the report concludes.
The audit report casts a spotlight on the pressing need for institutional reforms and legal compliance in the State Department for Public Service and calls into question the legal standing of Huduma Kenya, despite its critical role in citizen service delivery.