Mombasa: The Government has reaffirmed its full ownership and control of the e-Citizen online platform, assuring Kenyans that the state securely manages all data within the system. Speaking at a press briefing after a meeting with the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security in Mombasa, Principal Secretary for Immigration and Citizen Services Dr. Belio Kipsang told the committee that the Government had taken over the e-Citizen engine from its developer, Webmaster, through a formal procurement process.
According to Kenya News Agency, Dr. Kipsang stated that the government took over the e-Citizen engine from Webmaster, and the contract was later awarded to the same company for system maintenance. He explained that the transfer of the platform included the source codes, system architecture, knowledge, and operational control to the state. Dr. Kipsang highlighted that the e-Citizen platform has been in operation since 2013, and the government has fully transitioned it to state ownership. Maintenance is procured from the private sector to ensure smooth operations.
Dr. Kipsang reported that more than 13.67 million Kenyans are registered on the platform, which records an average of 500,000 daily visits. Since its inception, the platform has collected over Sh500 billion in revenue, with daily collections ranging between Sh700 million and Sh1 billion. The number of services available on e-Citizen has grown significantly, from 397 in 2022 to more than 21,000 today, enabling Kenyans to access government services anytime and anywhere, thus supporting a 24-hour economy.
The Committee Vice Chairman Dido Rasso mentioned that they had sought clarification on the collaboration between the Department of Immigration, the Ministry of ICT, and the National Treasury to ensure that public resources on the e-Citizen platform are utilised effectively and services are delivered efficiently. Rasso emphasized that Parliament, alongside the Ministry and Treasury, will work to allocate sufficient funds to improve the system for the benefit of Kenyans.