KISUMU, May 2026 -Residents and civil society groups from the Nyanza region have called on the National Assembly to urgently enact legislative safeguards to clean up the e-Citizen digital platform, citing severe data privacy gaps, delayed financial refunds, and a lack of public representation in its oversight board.
The demands emerged during a recent public participation forum held at a Kisumu hotel to debate the Draft Public Finance Management (E-citizen System Management) Regulations 2026.
The nationwide public consultations, spearheaded by the National Treasury, aim to establish legal frameworks to tighten accountability and seal revenue leakages on the E-citizen Systems used by millions of Kenyans daily for services like passports, driving licenses, and business registrations.
During the session, users put a spotlight on the platform’s refund mechanisms, specifically targeting Regulation 18. One complainant shared his ongoing anxiety after waiting five years to recover a double payment of Sh20,000 for services never rendered, sparking a collective demand from participants that all accidental payments be automatically refunded within a maximum of 24 hours.
Financial accountability also took center stage as Audrey Awuor, representing the Nyanza Initiative for Girls Education (NEGA), questioned the government over the “alleged loss of Sh6.3 billion through the platform recently.”
Treasury officials, however, defended the system under Regulation 19(1), clarifying that regular audits show the funds did not go missing but were instead channeled into a newly opened authorized account.
Data security emerged as another primary battleground for the attendees, who argued that citizens’ digital footprints are being left unprotected under Regulation 20(1).
Highlighting the real-world impact of identity theft, a Kisumu resident questioned the safety of the portal, noting that he frequently receives unsolicited text notifications from predatory mobile loan applications immediately after receiving money on his phone.
To bridge these gaps, participants recommended a complete overhaul of the e-Citizen Board’s composition. The current steering committee is heavily dominated by state officials, including Principal Secretaries from Treasury, ICT, Devolution, and e-Citizen services, alongside the Solicitor General and the Council of Governors executive.
“The state should reconstitute this committee by including regional religious leaders, representatives for persons living with disabilities, and civil service members to ensure the public’s voice is structurally represented,” the participants urged.
They also pushed for the platform to be decentralized, requesting physical e-Citizen administrative offices across all 47 counties to resolve technical hitches locally rather than forcing users to travel to the main offices in Nairobi.
Presiding over the session, Silas Oswe, the Director in Charge of Government Digital Payments at the National Treasury, reassured the public that the government remains fully committed to ensuring every single shilling collected via e-Citizen is accounted for in strict compliance with Article 226 of the Constitution.
While acknowledging that the portal has revolutionized public service convenience, Oswe emphasized that the proposed 2026 regulations are critical for building robust statutory oversight and restoring eroding public trust.
