The Kenya Kwanza initiative has achieved remarkable success in the digitization of government services, surpassing its set targets.
Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications, and Digital Economy, Eliud Owalo, revealed on Monday that the Ministry has successfully digitized 5,084 services as of July 31, 2023.
The Ministry had identified a total of 9,362 government services to be digitized by the given deadline.
Out of this extensive number, an impressive 5,084 services have been fully digitized, signaling a significant step forward in Kenya’s digital transformation efforts.
This achievement is particularly noteworthy, considering that President William Ruto had announced an ambitious goal last year, stating that 5,000 out of 7,000 government services should be digitized by June of this year.
The accomplishment of digitizing even more services than originally targeted demonstrates the government’s commitment to embracing digital technology to streamline public services.
Cabinet Secretary Owalo emphasized that the digitalization priority areas include health, lands, Kenya Revenue Authority, transport, education, border control, and citizen services.
By focusing on these essential sectors, the government aims to enhance efficiency, transparency, and accessibility for citizens and businesses alike.
A significant milestone in Kenya’s digital transformation journey was the acquisition of the e-citizen platform.
When the Ministry took over the platform, only 350 services had been onboarded.
However, thanks to dedicated efforts and resources, the platform now hosts an undisclosed number of services, further improving citizens’ access to government services online.
In line with the digitalization drive, the government mandated that all payments for government services must be made through the e-citizen portal.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u officially gazetted the portal as the government’s digital payment platform, with the official government pay bill number being 222222.
This move not only facilitates easier and more convenient payment methods for citizens but also aims to seal loopholes in tax collection, increasing revenue collection for the government.
The adoption of digital payment systems and the digitization of government services are essential steps in enhancing service delivery while minimizing the cost of collection.
By making government services accessible online, Kenyans can pay for services from the comfort of their homes, reducing the need for physical visits to government offices.
