The Kenyan government has assured Members of Parliament that it fully owns the eCitizen online services access and payment platform. Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Julius Bitok provided this confirmation while addressing the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security.
Bitok stated that the government possesses all necessary documentation confirming its ownership of the platform. He emphasized that the state has nothing to conceal regarding eCitizen’s ownership or the contracts it has signed with vendors to facilitate the platform’s technical operations and maintenance.
“I can confirm that there exists a valid contract, approved by the Attorney General and signed with the ICT Authority (ICTA), where eCitizen was domiciled before its transfer to the current State Department. This contract affirms that eCitizen is fully owned by the government,” said PS Bitok.
He further explained that eCitizen operates under a tripartite model. The Immigration and Citizen Services Department is responsible for onboarding services, while the ICT Authority (ICTA) manages the operational platform, and the National Treasury, through the Government Digital Payments (GDP) framework, oversees revenue collection.
Addressing concerns about the Sh50 convenience fee charged per eCitizen transaction, Bitok stated that this cost is captured in the existing contract and was arrived at following proper financial considerations. His response was prompted by Lari MP Joseph Kahangara’s inquiry into how the funds collected from transaction fees are utilized.
Additionally, Bitok discussed the implementation of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) system, which replaced traditional entry visas to Kenya. He assured MPs that security agencies would guide the procurement process for this system due to national security implications. Following President William Ruto’s declaration of Kenya as a visa-free country last year, the number of visitors to Kenya has increased by 20% compared to 2023.
The session was attended by eCitizen Director General Isaac Ochieng, Immigration counterpart Evelyn Cheluget, and other senior government officials.
Separately, Treasury and Economic Planning Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo defended the government’s directive mandating school fees payments through eCitizen. He stated that the system is legally grounded and enhances efficiency in revenue collection.
