Kenya’s push to digitise public services has come under scrutiny after a new audit revealed that nearly Sh1 billion spent on the eCitizen platform has largely failed to yield results.
Most of the services added to the platform remain dormant, raising serious questions about planning, execution, and the value of the government’s investment.
Auditor General Nancy Gathungu reviewed the platform for the period ending June 30, 2025, and found that of the 28,373 services onboarded, only 5,731 are actively being used. This means more than 22,600 services, or 80 per cent, have gone unused since their deployment.
“Review of data revealed that a total of 28,373 services had been onboarded onto the eCitizen platform. However, only 5,731 services (20 per cent) were active, leaving 22,642 services unutilised since on-boarding,” the report states.
Despite the low uptake, the government spent Sh946 million paying vendors to add these services to the system. The Auditor-General noted that it is impossible to confirm whether this spending delivered any meaningful value.
“In the circumstances, value for money on payment for onboarding of unutilised services of Sh946,000,000 could not be confirmed,” Gathungu said.
The report highlights a mismatch between the government’s aggressive digitisation push and actual public use. Without active engagement, the services fail to improve convenience, efficiency, or generate revenue, leaving taxpayers’ money at risk of being wasted.
Several agencies were identified as having large numbers of inactive services. Kenya Forest Service tops the list with 9,274 idle services. Other notable institutions include Kenya Seed Company (1,590), National Police Service (1,197), Spinal Injury Hospital (978), and Kenya School of Government (579).
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority had 489, the Kenya Airports Authority 404, the National Registration Bureau 338, and the Kenya Wildlife Service 309. Collectively, these agencies account for more than 15,000 unused services.
Beyond service inactivity, the audit raised concerns about the management of eCitizen, which handles billions in government revenue. The report found that the National Treasury operated a Sh206 billion payments system outside legal guidelines, raising questions about oversight, ownership, and compliance.
Although the Treasury processed over Sh206.5 billion, it effectively collected revenue that should have been handled by the Kenya Revenue Authority, contrary to the Public Finance Management Act, 2012.
“This was contrary to the Public Finance Management Act, 2012, which states that the Kenya Revenue Authority shall be the collector of national government revenue,” the audit states.
Auditors also revealed that the Government Digital Payments Unit, responsible for operating the system, lacks formal designation as a revenue receiver. “was not formally designated as a receiver of revenue but operates based on Gazette Notices, Presidential Directive and Ministerial Instructions.”
The report further exposes delays in remitting funds to government accounts. Sh2.12 billion held in multiple bank accounts was transferred late, breaching agreed timelines with partner banks.
“Collections... totalling Sh2,123,380,621 were transferred after two business days,” the report notes. Auditors faulted the Treasury for failing to enforce penalties on banks for the delays. “Management did not provide evidence that penalty charges were computed or demanded,” the report adds.
The audit also highlighted irregularities in user charges, noting that more than Sh908 million collected in convenience fees did not follow existing regulatory frameworks, adding to concerns over governance and accountability on the eCitizen platform.