The eCitizen platform was the focus of the first part of this morning’s show, "Fixing the Nation", which airs on NTV and Nation FM’s breakfast show and across all our social media platforms. Mariam Bishar and Eric Latiff interviewed James Ayugi, the CEO of Webmasters, also the founder of the eCitizen platform.
Understanding eCitizen’s Fee Structure
One of the most pressing questions from the public has been the service levy charged on eCitizen transactions. Ayugi clarified that the Sh 50 convenience fees go directly to the government, not to him.
The platform is government-owned. Webmasters are contracted to provide services, basically to run the site. He also revealed that before the working framework was established, Webmasters provided free services through the platform services for five years.
A Growing Digital Government Ecosystem
ECitizen has transformed into Kenya’s digital Huduma Centre, bringing together over 22,000 services from at least 100 ministries, counties, departments, and agencies. The government continues to integrate more services.
Ayugi emphasised that knowledge transfer is ongoing, ensuring that government teams develop the capacity to manage and enhance the platform in the long term.
Where Does eCitizen Revenue Go?
A common misconception is that private contractors like Webmasters handle eCitizen revenue. Ayugi debunked this, stating that all funds collected through the platform are directed to a holding account at KCB before being transferred to the Central Bank of Kenya. Webmasters strictly provides technical support and does not manage the platform’s financial transactions.
Data Protection and Security
With digital services comes the question of data security. Ayugi reassured Kenyans that Webmasters is certified by the Data Protection Commission for data handling. However, he clarified that the company does not have access to Kenyans’ personal data stored on eCitizen. The government control centre is the only entity with access to incoming data.
