Residents of Mwea East and Mwea West subcounties in Kirinyaga county have received a major boost following the operationalisation of a new Huduma Centre in Mwea town.
This ends years of costly travel to access government services in Kerugoya town and Embu county.
The facility, which began offering services about three weeks ago, is the second Huduma Centre in Kirinyaga county and the 61st in the country.
It is expected to serve thousands of residents from the larger Mwea constituency, as well as neighbouring parts of Embu county.
Mwea East Assistant County Commissioner John Mwenda said the government had brought essential public services closer to wananchi to improve accessibility and reduce the time and money residents spend seeking government services.
"The Huduma Centre in Mwea is now fully operational. Residents who previously travelled to Embu or Kerugoya can now access these services here because it is their right to have government services brought closer to them," Mwenda said.
He said the centre offers a wide range of services under one roof, including National Transport and Safety Authority services, registration of persons, Kenya Revenue Authority services and other key government services.
Mwenda urged young people who have attained the age of 18 to take advantage of the facility by applying for national identity cards.
He said the document is essential for accessing government services, employment opportunities and voter registration ahead of next year's General Election.
Mwenda said decentralising government services would significantly reduce transport costs, ease congestion at other Huduma centres and improve service delivery for residents living in Mwea and surrounding areas.
Residents who have already visited the facility welcomed its opening, saying it has eased the burden of travelling long distances to access government services.
James Karuru, a resident of South Ngariama, said he visited the centre after losing his national identity card and was impressed by the efficiency of the services offered.
"Previously, we had to travel all the way to Embu whenever we needed these services. The transport costs were high and we spent many hours on the road. Now everything is available here in Mwea," Karuru said.
He said the staff were welcoming and efficient, adding that residents can now replace lost identity cards, access government documentation and receive assistance without leaving the constituency.
Karuru said the new facility would particularly benefit residents from remote parts of Mwea, who previously incurred high transport costs by using motorcycles and public service vehicles to reach Kerugoya or Embu.
He praised the government's decision to establish the centre in Mwea, saying it would save residents both time and money while improving access to essential public services.
The opening of the Huduma Centre is expected to enhance the delivery of government services across Mwea East and Mwea West by bringing multiple agencies together under one roof and reducing the distance residents travel to access critical services.
