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The Auditor General, Nancy Gathungu, revealed that approximately KSh 100.8 billion was gathered through the eCitizen portal during the fiscal year of 2023/2024.
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Gathungu bemoaned the government’s lack of complete control over the system and its heavy reliance on a vendor
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She highlighted a balance of KSh 7.1 billion held across nine USD accounts and twelve shilling-denominated accounts.
Japhet Ruto, who works as a journalist for News Globe.co.ke, possesses more than eight years of experience in reporting on finance, business, and technology both locally in Kenya and internationally.
A recent report from Kenya’s Auditor General, Nancy Gathungu, indicates that around KSh 44.8 billion transferred via the government’s eCitizen digital payment system cannot be accounted for.
What amount was gathered through eCitizen?
Gathungu revealed that within the fiscal year 2023/2024, an amount of KSh 100.8 billion was gathered via this platform; however, inconsistencies arose when comparing the figures recorded in the income reports with those from both the e-portal system and the general ledger.
The cash books and bank reconciliation reports for a total of KSh 7.1 billion held across nine USD accounts and twelve shilling accounts, which were not provided for auditing purposes, were also subject to scrutiny according to the report.
Throughout the year, a combined sum of KSh 100.84 billion, which includes KSh 44.82 billion allocated for those who receive revenues, was gathered via the eCitizen government digital payments (GDP) system.
The examination of the eCitizen portal and the revenue statements highlighted discrepancies among the figures shown in the revenue statements, the e-portal system, and the ledger. This raised concerns about the thoroughness and precision of the receipts recorded for revenues totaling KSh 44,816,483,773, as disclosed in Gathungu’s report.
Why Gathungu expressed concerns
The document further revealed previously year-end balances amounting to KSh 145.8 million that lacked support. The necessary details regarding bank accounts and reasons behind the extended hold-ups in fund transfers were omitted as well.
The platform includes approximately 17,692 state functions embedded within it.
The eCitizen program spans across the Social and Economic Pillar of Vision 2030, aligns with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), and is closely tied to advancements in technology and innovation along with reforms within the public sector, according to the report.
The review of eCitizen’s income accountability reports for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, uncovered irregularities even though the platform holds significant strategic value, it noted.
Gathungu bemoaned the government’s lack of complete control over the system and its heavy reliance on the vendor for essential operations, even though she disclosed that her office was conducting a special audit on the platform.
The report from the Government Digital Payments Unit highlighted difficulties in implementing essential system adjustments and changes needed for growth, like integrating additional governmental services, due to the significant control exerted by the supplier over the system.
Was KSh 15b lost?
Other updates revealed that Gathungu pinpointed revenue leakages as one of the issues with the eCitizen platform back in February 2024.
Discrepancies between eCitizen collections and receipts for the fiscal year 2022/2023 were highlighted in Gathungu’s report on revenue statements.
In the report, Gathungu mentioned that over KSh 15 billion in revenue receipts had not been confirmed.
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