Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has praised the impact of the eCitizen platform in reducing corruption and improving the accessibility, affordability, and customer-centric nature of government services.
Speaking at the first anniversary of eCitizen alongside President William Ruto, Mudavadi highlighted the platform’s success in addressing widespread issues Kenyans previously faced, such as long waits, high costs, and the prevalence of bribery in government offices.
Mudavadi acknowledged the frustration felt by millions of Kenyans who had long been subjected to inefficient and often corrupt practices while accessing essential government services.
“Many were forced to endure lengthy delays and, unfortunately, demands for bribes to access services that should rightfully be theirs whether through citizenship or the payment of official fees,” he stated.
He further explained that the government’s push to digitize services was in response to the President’s concerns about revenue losses due to weak manual systems susceptible to exploitation.
“The President’s directive to digitize government services was designed to close these loopholes and unlock the full potential of internal revenue, which could then be reinvested into critical national development programs,” Mudavadi said.
Since its inception, eCitizen has expanded dramatically.
Mudavadi revealed that the platform initially offered 394 services but now provides access to over 22,000 services, positioning Kenya as a global leader in the digitization of government services.
This transition has significantly enhanced revenue collection, reducing the chances of funds being siphoned off by corrupt individuals.
“This transformation has led to billions of shillings being collected monthly, while also curbing the loss of funds that would have been misappropriated,” he added.
Mudavadi also emphasized that beyond financial gains, embracing emerging technologies is vital for improving public service delivery, fostering skills development, knowledge transfer, and job creation.
“In this spirit, the President has mandated all Ministries, Departments, Corporations, and Agencies to digitize their services and integrate them into the eCitizen platform, with a firm deadline of December 2023,” he said.
As Kenya celebrates the progress made with eCitizen, Mudavadi noted that the government is actively identifying areas for improvement and exploring innovative ways to enhance the platform’s user experience.
In a related development, Mudavadi mentioned that the government had consolidated 1130 pay bill accounts into a single pay bill number, 22222, streamlining payments and further improving efficiency.
Mudavadi also highlighted the success of Kenya’s visa-free policy, which has led to a significant increase in foreign visitors.
In the Financial Year 2023/2024, 666,475 foreigners used the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), marking a 20% increase compared to the previous year.
“Unlike traditional visas, the ETA allows foreigners to visit Kenya simply by having a valid passport with at least one blank page and six months of validity beyond their planned arrival date, alongside a few other basic requirements,” Mudavadi explained.
This move has been instrumental in opening up Kenya to more international visitors, reflecting the country’s efforts to embrace modern solutions and enhance its global standing.
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