Monthly e-Citizen revenue crosses Sh2bn mark under single paybill
President William Ruto during the unveiling of e-Citizen Services, GavaMkononi App and Gava Express on June 30, 2023, at the KICC in Nairobi. PHOTO | BILLY OGADA | NMG
Revenue raised from fees charged on State services rose to a record high in August following President William Ruto’s directive that government agencies use a common paybill number.
Data available on the e-Citizen self-service platform indicates that revenue collected crossed the Sh2 billion mark in August for the first time since the beginning of the year to stand at Sh2.4 billion before declining slightly in September to Sh2.3 billion.
The August numbers can further be attributed to increased activity as citizens sought government services such as identity card applications and police clearances to participate in drives such as recruitment to the military and admissions to institutions of higher learning.
According to the data, April recorded the lowest collection at Sh1.4 billion while July posted Sh1.5 billion in a year whose opening collection in January stood at Sh1.6 billion.
The revenue stream is one of the non-tax cash receipts that government banks on alongside others such as dividend payments from companies where the State holds shares and fines.
On August 1, President Ruto directed all State departments to use only one paybill number, explaining that the move was aimed at enhancing efficiency and sealing revenue leakages.
"From today all government agencies should use the government paybill manned by the National Treasury. All other paybills will be shut down and if there will be one operating after today… let me not say beyond that," Dr Ruto cautioned.
The order resulted in the disabling of at least 1,448 paybill numbers.
Aggressive drive
The government has also been on an aggressive drive in recent months to onboard critical services onto the public portal, with a Business Daily spot check showing that a total of 10,472 had been digitised.
Among recent agencies to join the platform are the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) and the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) that made the shifts in February and March respectively.
The Communications Authority of Kenya, the National Cereals and Produce Board, the National Environment Management Authority, the Kenya National Library Service and the Kenya Airports Authority are also expected to automate their services.
Others are employers such as the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the Judiciary.
