Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi announced that the government’s online services through eCitizen have significantly reduced corruption among some employees and transformed public service into a more accessible, affordable, and customer-centric system for both local and international users.
While joining President William Ruto at the first anniversary of eCitizen, Mudavadi emphasized that the online service emerged in response to the frustrations of millions of Kenyans who have long faced painful, costly, and often corrupt experiences in government offices.
“Many were subjected to long hours of waiting and, sadly, to demands for bribes to access services that should otherwise be their right—guaranteed either by citizenship or the payment of official fees,” said Mudavadi stated
He further noted that President Ruto is deeply concerned about the loss of government revenue caused by outdated manual systems, which are prone to exploitation by corrupt officials.
“His directive to digitize government services was not only aimed at plugging these loopholes but also at unlocking the full potential of internally generated revenue, which could then fund key national development projects and programs,” Mudavadi explained
He highlighted that the government has expanded the eCitizen platform from a mere 394 services to 22,000, making Kenya a global leader in the number of online services offered.
“This has seen the government collect billions of shillings every month and cut down on leakages of billions of money that would end up in people’s hands corruptly,” Mudavadi noted
He added that beyond protecting revenue, the government recognizes that adopting emerging technologies will enhance service delivery to Kenyans while fostering skills acquisition, knowledge transfer, and job creation.
“It is in this spirit that the President directed all Ministries, Departments, Corporations, and Agencies to digitize their services,” adding that, “It would integrate them onto the eCitizen platform, setting an ambitious but necessary deadline of December 2023.” Mudavadi announced.
Kenya is currently celebrating its achievements, identifying areas for improvement, and exploring new ways to enhance the eCitizen experience. This moment also serves as a reflection on how public service delivery can adapt to meet the demands of a rapidly digitizing world.
Mudavadi also explained that consolidating the 1,130 paybill accounts for eCitizen into a single 22222 paybill has streamlined government transactions.
He pointed out that the introduction of the visa-free directive has led to a significant increase in foreign visitors to Kenya. In the financial year 2023/2024, 666,475 foreigners utilized the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), marking a 20 percent increase from the previous year.
He clarified, “Unlike a restrictive visa, any foreigner wishing to visit Kenya only needs an ETA. It allows entry as long as they possess a valid passport with at least one blank page, valid for a minimum of six months beyond the planned arrival date, along with a few other basic requirements.”
