KRA, KPA, KEBS asked to join e-citizen platform by Dec. 15

Principal Administrative Secretary Arthur Osiya and Secretary to the Cabinet Mercy Wanjau. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Kenya's Revenue Authority (KRA), Bureau of Standards (KEBS), and Ports Authority (KPA) are among 17 state agencies given 30 days to join the e-Citizen pay bill.

This is according to a press briefing issued by the secretary to cabinet Mercy Wanjau at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) alongside PSs, Chief Executive officers, and Board chairpersons of 17 state agencies.

In the briefing, the agencies have been asked to comply by December 15. Initially, the government had set December 31 as the deadline.

Additionally, Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Julius Bitok revealed that the collection of government revenue through the e-Citizen platform has increased to Sh200 million since the beginning of the year.

He said Kenyans can access 14,000 of 16, 000 services on the government's e-citizen platform.

"We are able to map many services, we have 14,000 plus services...including services in the state department in immigration and citizen services; application for passports, driving license, marriage certificates, and many other such services," he said.

In a gazette notice dated November 30, 2023, President William Ruto issued a directive to all state agencies to on-board government services to a single digital payment platform of Paybill 222222, which is expected to take effect by the end of this year.

PS Bitok noted that the government is keen on addressing challenges and compliance issues with state agencies whose services have not been digitally integrated to offer services on the e-citizen platform.

"There are quite a number of services we had at the beginning exempted...we had exempted them because of the complications, we gave them time to be able to integrate their systems," he stated.

Bitok mentioned the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), and Kenya Power as some of the state-run agencies that were exempted.

Wanjau said the digitization of services will help in the fight against corruption, especially within the revenue collection system,

"Ultimately, we will be able to achieve revenue enhancement and transparency from this (e-citizen) platform," said Ms Wanjau.

She exuded confidence that they will be able to see all state agencies comply with the President's directive within the stipulated timeline.

"We are committed to meeting this deadline and thereafter begin to improve customer experience towards customer delightment," she said.

She promised that the government is committed to realise 20,000 online services by December 31, this year.