Hundreds of residents in Kisumu County on Friday accessed government services and free legal assistance during a community outreach programme organized by young lawyers in partnership with state agencies.
The initiative, held in Kondele in Kisumu Central Sub-County, sought to improve access to essential public services by bringing them closer to residents, many of whom face financial and logistical challenges travelling to government offices.
Among the services offered included applications for national identity cards, registration for the Social Health Authority (SHA), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) PIN registration, voter registration and other services typically available at Huduma Centres.
“We want to eliminate barriers that prevent citizens from accessing government services conveniently,” lawyer Effie Achieng told AFP during the exercise.
“Many families, particularly those from vulnerable backgrounds, spend significant amounts of money and time travelling to service centres. This programme is intended to bring those services directly to them,” she said.
Organizers said the outreach targeted more than 2,000 residents from Kisumu and neighbouring areas.
The event also featured free legal clinics, where lawyers provided advice on land disputes, succession matters and family-related cases.
Achieng said community-based initiatives by legal professionals were helping bridge gaps in service delivery while empowering citizens through improved access to essential government programmes.
Residents welcomed the exercise, saying it reduced the inconvenience and costs associated with travelling to government offices located far from their homes.
The programme forms part of a broader campaign that has been rolled out across several counties in the Nyanza region in recent months.
Chabby Otieno, chairperson of the association behind the initiative, said thousands of people had already benefited from similar outreach activities.
“We have witnessed tremendous impact from theprogrammes. Many people who would otherwise struggle to obtain important documents are now able to access services within their communities,” he said
Otieno said the mobile service model had improved efficiency by reducing travel time and bringing government agencies closer to citizens.
He added that organizers used the event to encourage voter registration and civic participation ahead of future elections.
“As the country prepares for future elections, it is important for eligible citizens to register as voters and actively participate in governance through the ballot,” he said.
The organizers said they plan to expand the outreach programmto more counties in the coming months, focusing on underserved communities where access to government services remains limited.
The initiative underscores the growing role of professional associations in supporting public service delivery and strengthening links between government institutions and lcl
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