While speaking in Japan, President William Ruto insisted that the implementation of the eCitizen school fees payment system will be implemented and will be beneficial to Kenya.
Ruto, who was addressing the diaspora community, noted that his administration was implementing the online payment system to do away with cases where managements of different institutions pocketed money paid for services.
Further, he said that the goal of the new payment system was do away completely with cash transactions and ensure transparency in the transfer of funds for government services.
“You may have heard the latest about school fees in Kenya and some of the monies paid by parents for example in boarding schools,” he stated.
“We are insisting because we realized that there are illegal levies charged by management of schools that go into accounts whose owners nobody knows. We have insisted that all monies charged to Kenyans must be transparent.
It must be transferred to a place where we can’t account for. We are trying to get away from any payments in cash. Shortly, it will not be possible to pay for any government services in cash.”
Also Read: UON Students, Staff to Pay for Meals via eCitizen After Govt Directive
Ruto on How Diaspora Will Benefit
On the other hand, the president underscored the importance of the digitized payment system and benefits for Kenyans in the diaspora.
Ruto highlighted that those in the diaspora could for instance purchase electricity tokens for their relatives in Kenya because of the implemented digitized payment system.
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“As we do that, we are looking at how the diaspora can benefit from what we are doing. It is not possible for you in the diaspora to pay for electricity bill for your mother somewhere in the village from where you are.”
“That speaks to the whole of government’s approach to services,” he stated.
Also, he revealed that although lawyers in the country had initially resisted the payment system when it was implemented in the ministry of lands, they had a change of heart and were supporting the initiative fully.
“The lawyers at some point had a problem with paying fees at the ministry of lands in the manner in which we were suggesting but now it is okay, and we have the support of the lawyers,” added Ruto.
Also Read: Machogu Defends eCitizen School Fee Payment, Addresses Ownership of Funds
Ministry of Education on eCitizen Payment
Earlier in the month, the Ministry of education issued fresh directives to parents and guardians of learners in national schools as part of ensuring a swift transition to a new fee payment process.
In a circular addressed to all National School’s principals, the ministry noted that all fee payments will henceforth be paid directly through the e-citizen platform.
“The directorate of e-citizen in partnership with Information Communication Technology Authority (ICTA), Ministry of information, communication and the digital economy and the National Treasury have been coordinating the onboarding of all government services onto the e- citizen platform to enhance service delivery,” read part of the letter.
Later on February 6, the government issued a directive to the University of Nairobi to make payments through the e-Citizen platform.
“The Kenyan Government has mandated that all payments to the University of Nairobi be made via the E-Citizen platform,” read part of the notice.
