Students and staff members buying meals from kitchens at the University of Nairobi will now be required to make payments through the e-Citizen platform.
Through a notice, the University noted that the transition to paying through the government platform was part of a directive from the Kenya Kwanza government.
“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.
Complying with this directive, the University has since established the required systems to enable students, staff members and other clients to make payments through E-Citizen.
According to the notice, payments will be made through a listed format.
To pay for services, first go to your M-pesa, select ‘Lipa na M-PESA’, Enter Pay Bill Business Number which is 222222.
From here, proceed to enter the Account Number which is the Outlet/Live identifier in capital letters followed by a hyphen and your name (e.g. NUKI-name).
They will then finalize the transaction by entering the amount and confirming the M-PESA PIN and pressing OK to pay.
The university further provided a list of all kitchen outlets which are also the live identifiers used in the payment process.
e-Citizen transition
This directive is part of the switch by President William Ruto‘s government towards ensuring payment of government services through the online portal.
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Also, 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.
The announcement came a day after the government issued crucial clarifications regarding the Ministry’s plan to have school fee for national schools paid through the E-Citizen platform.
In a press statement dated February 5, 2024, from the Office of the President, the government emphasized the widespread implementation of this new process across all categories of schools.
Govt clarifies
The initial phase of this transition focuses on national schools, setting the stage for a systematic and transparent approach to fee collection.
According to the statement, the objective of this directive is to streamline fee collection, fostering better coordination while promoting transparency and accountability.
Furthermore, the government aims to establish an effective monitoring system to ensure compliance with policies and regulations governing fee levying and payment in public secondary schools.
Permanent Secretary Julius Bitok revealed that the Directorate of E-Citizen has designed a payment collection process that prioritizes convenience and transparency.
In preparation of the launch, all National School principals were directed to ensure that all parents from their institutions provide their bank accounts details in a listed format.
“As part of compliance with the requirements it is directed that parents/guardians make fee payments for their learners in your institutions through this platform,” the letter added.
Also Read: Govt Orders Schools & Parents to Switch to New Fees Payment Method
Among the details required for submission include the bank account name, account number, code and branch code.
Additionally, the ministry noted that the details should be submitted to the office of the director general, state department for basic education not later than February 6th, 2024.
The introduction of school fee payment through the e-Citizen platform is part of the government’s plan to increase collection of revenue.
Earlier in June 2023, the government made a groundbreaking move by launching the eCitizen Portal, a digital initiative that promised to redefine public service delivery.
President William Ruto spearheaded this visionary project, aiming to digitize government services and make them easily accessible to Kenyans.
The head of state’s vision for the platform was clear, to collect a targeted Ksh3.2 trillion in annual government revenue.
