CBOs, self-help groups urged to embrace online registration to beat delays

Josiah Okong'o Chairman Walakolo Self Help Group and Oliver Karani Human resource manager Akili Bomba CBO overseeing the mounting of a plastic collection point at the Kibera Level 3 Hospital. [David Gichuru, Standard]

Community Based Organizations [CBOs] and Self Help groups registration will now be done online to reduce bureaucracy and ease access to government services.

The move is in line with the government agenda to digitize its services. So far over 9,000 government services have been digitized.

Principal Secretary for the State Department for Social Protections and Senior Citizen Affairs, Joseph Motari lauded the new project saying it will boost the service delivery to those in the grass roots.

‘’The system represents more than just digitization; it is about empowerment. It is about ensuring that citizens regardless of their background or circumstances have equal access to government services. It is about reducing bureaucracy and ensuring equitable service for all,’’ said Motari.

He was speaking during the Launch of Community Development Management Information System[CDMIS] at the Huduma House in Nairobi on Tuesday.

The Huduma Kenya Chief Executive Officer, Benjamin Chilumo said that the exercise will be easy for the common mwananchi because they will get the help from their offices.

“We are here to help our customers get assistance, especially those with little or no digital skills. It is our work to make things easier for them,” said Chilumo.

Motari said that CDMIS encompasses three pivotal programmes: the economic inclusion programme, volunteerism and groups registration.

He noted that the programmes are the foundations of the social protections designed to uplift and empower the communities.

PS also lauded the development partners for their active roles to help the government meet its digitalization goals.

The development partners included; World Food Programme[WFP], World Bank, Volunteer Involving organizations, Kenya Red Cross, and the Swedish Embassy.

The WFP provided both technical expertise and financial support for the development of CDMIS.

Swedish Embassy Annika Otterstedt emphasized the commitment of the Swedish government to continue collaborating with Kenya to provide sustainable solutions.

‘’The Swedish government is here to help Kenya meet its bottom-up and vision 2030 agenda for the general good and alleviate people from poverty by providing homegrown solutions, Otterstedt explained.