Government anticipates increased revenue with Sh689m e-Citizen funding

The government has more than tripled the budget for the administration of the e-Citizen platform to enhance revenue mobilization.

The Treasury has proposed allocating Sh689 million to the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services for managing e-Citizen in the 2024/25 financial year.

If approved by MPs, this would represent a significant increase from the Sh182 million budget for 2023/24.

The additional funding aims to strengthen the administration of e-Citizen as the government integrates thousands of new services into the platform to digitize service delivery. By June 2023, the government had onboarded 5,127 services on e-Citizen.

Services available to Kenyans through e-Citizen now include obtaining birth and death certificates, driving licenses, marriage certificates, and participating in the government’s affordable housing program.

Additionally, Kenyans can apply for new-generation vehicle number plates, file tax returns, apply for student loans, obtain county business licenses, and process applications for mergers and acquisitions.

The increased budget will cover staff salaries and other expenses. Officials report that this initiative has significantly boosted daily revenue collection through e-Citizen by improving oversight of collected funds.