(Nairobi) – The Kenyan government has significantly increased its revenue collection to KSh 400 billion annually, thanks to the e-Citizen platform and other immigration services, Immigration Principal Secretary Prof. Julius Bitok has revealed.
Prof. Bitok explained that the e-Citizen platform now offers 18,000 digital services, a dramatic increase from the 354 services initially provided. This expansion has made the platform a cornerstone of Kenya’s revenue collection strategy.
The government collects approximately KSh 300 billion annually from e-Citizen services alone and an additional KSh 100 billion through immigration functions. Bitok noted that daily revenue from digital services has soared from KSh 60 million to nearly KSh 1 billion following the government’s deliberate effort to digitize its services.
Speaking at Nyayo House during a visit by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Acting Interior Cabinet Secretary, Prof. Bitok highlighted that Kenya now outperforms countries like Rwanda, India, and many European nations in digital service offerings. While these countries provide fewer than 700 digital services, Kenya is on track to digitize a total of 20,721 services.
In the financial year 2023/2024, the State Department achieved notable milestones:
| Service | Number Issued |
|---|---|
| Passports | 539,810 |
| Work Permits | 28,121 |
| Temporary Permits | 186,892 |
| Visas | 566,294 |
| Electronic Travel Authorizations | 666,475 |
| Citizenship Certificates | 1,002 |
| Permanent Residence Certificates | 1,472 |
| Second-Generation ID Cards | 824,364 |
| Third-Generation Maisha Cards | 972,630 |
| Birth Registrations | 1,168,151 (75%) |
| Death Registrations | 204,498 (45%) |
Additionally, 6.99 million people were cleared at points of entry, and 145,746 refugees were registered during the same period.
To enhance efficiency and curb corruption, the government replaced multiple pay bill numbers with a single payment system under the 222222 pay bill number. Prof. Bitok credited this move for minimizing cash leaks and ensuring transparent financial transactions.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi commended the State Department’s commitment to modernizing services and urged officials to maintain their dedication. Mudavadi emphasized the importance of technology in fostering transparency and eliminating opportunities for corruption.
“Your first and last agenda should be to serve Kenyans,” Mudavadi said, urging for the completion of digitization efforts to ensure a fully cashless interaction between citizens and government officers.
The e-Citizen platform’s success underscores Kenya’s trajectory toward becoming a leader in digital governance, leveraging technology to enhance efficiency, transparency, and revenue collection.