Sh1bn budget cut delays Huduma Namba cards rollout

A cash hitch has delayed the release of Huduma Namba cards after the Treasury slashed the budget allocated for biometric mass registration by Sh1 billion despite opposition from the Interior Ministry.

The ministry yesterday petitioned the National Assembly’s Security Committee to reinstate the Sh1 billion budget, warning that printing of the cards was at stake after the Treasury took away the money through a supplementary budget that is before MPs for approval. The supplementary budget seeks to slash recurrent expenditure by Sh5.6 billion following a shortfall in revenue collection.