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The Government has warned top executives of state-owned agencies that they risk losing their jobs for failing to declare all revenues collected on the eCitizen platform.
Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Julius Bitok under whose docket the eCitizen platform falls said the government had noted a major variance between collected revenue and what was being reflected on the online platform.
“The revenues have gone up from around Sh60 million per day to around Sh250 million to Sh300 million per day. But the story is not consistent with what the government wants. We have realized that we have a higher potential than that,” he said.
Addressing representatives of ministries, corporations, departments and agencies (MCDAs) at Mlolongo, Machakos County on Tuesday, November, the PS said an analysis of potential revenue from the over 11,000 services on eCitizen against declared amounts pointed to diversion of collected money.
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He attributed the discrepancy to cash payments for services against a presidential directive to process all online payments for government services through the paybill, 222222.
“We are having conversations with the Central Bank and the banks. We have noted clearly that there are agencies who have decided to cheat the system and pay cash,” PS Bitok cautioned.
He said preliminary investigations indicated that funds paid in cash were being banked in accounts that were not linked to eCitizen and warned of sanctions against those who will be found culpable.
"Let it not be you who will be found not being able to comply and you have to explain and sometimes you may even have to lose your job because you’re not able to do what is supposed to be done,” he stated.
On June 30, this year, while officially unveiling services on eCitizen platform, President William Ruto directed all government agencies to close existing paybills and process all payments through 222222.
He further directed that all government services be made available online to shore up government revenue collection by promoting convenience and sealing loopholes.
Data from Treasury reveals a steady rise of revenue collected on eCitizen following the presidential directive.
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In October, Sh4.664 billion was collected up from Sh1.44 billion in June.
The amounts for July, August and September were Sh2.362 billion, Sh3.636 billion and Sh4.233 billion respectively.
However, the amounts are below the annual target of Sh1.5 trillion that the government hoped to nail by taking its services online.
According to the PS, failure to hit the target is being abetted by rogue officers.
“Where we are going now, if you don’t meet some of these things, there will be consequences. Some people will bear personal responsibilities for failure to do the right thing,” PS Bitok warned.
The Director General for eCitizen Isaack Ochieng revealed that around 300 MCDAs were yet to make their services available on the platform.