Parents in Mombasa lined up at Tononoka Grounds on Sunday as a Huduma Mashinani outreach aimed to provide vital government documents, including birth certificates and national IDs. The event revealed that many children remain unable to access schooling due to missing documents.
The outreach, organised by Lulu ya Jamii Foundation, the Mombasa Huduma Centre with support from community partners, attracted residents from across the county, including areas such as Majengo, Nyali, and Kisauni with some coming from as far as Kwale county. Long queues highlighted the ongoing challenge faced by families who lack easy access to essential services.
Lulu Hassan, founder of Lulu ya Jamii, said many children are unable to continue school because their birth certificates are missing, while some adults still do not have IDs, limiting access to government services.
“Some parents tell us they know the father, but the child has no birth certificate. Without it, the child cannot continue education,” Hassan said.
Local residents described the outreach as a critical opportunity for low-income families. Alice Kasila said
“Many people here have never had birth certificates, even after having children. Others lost their IDs years ago and never replaced them. Today, they finally received help.” Ali Hussein added
“At the main offices, you need money to get these services. For us, the less fortunate, it was difficult, but here we have been assisted.”
Mombasa Huduma Centre Manager Harrison Yogo said birth certificates and national ID applications recorded the longest queues. By midday, 132 residents had been processed for IDs, with the number expected to rise to about 300 by the end of the outreach.
“You can see mothers carrying children as they queue for birth certificates. This shows many children in Mombasa are still unregistered,” Yogo said.
He urged county and national government agencies, alongside community stakeholders, to expand Huduma Centres in areas such as Likoni, Changamwe, Jomvu, Kisauni, and Nyali to make essential documentation more accessible.
