Kenyans react to multi-billion scandal at eCitizen
Kenyans on Tuesday woke up to the news that Treasury had disowned a firm contracted to collect revenue on its behalf from the eCitizen portal.
Treasury principal secretary Kamau Thugge, in court papers, stated that the government did not authorise any private firm to collect eCitizen payments on its behalf.
eCitizen is an online portal through which the government provides essential services such as applications for passports, driving licences, business registration certificates, vehicle logbooks and title deeds.
Goldrock has since 2014 collected over Sh5.6 billion under the eCitizen platform.
RECEIVES MILLIONS
Goldrock Capital has sued the Treasury and Webmasters Kenya, which developed e-Citizen portal, for denying it access to the website’s mobile money (M-Pesa) paybill number that receives millions of shillings every day from Kenyans seeking government services.
Dr Thugge said Treasury only authorised Webmasters Kenya to train government officials to handle the payment portal hence any contract purporting to hire another firm for collection of revenue is null and void.
The story published on Business Daily sparked reactions from Kenyans on Twitter who wondered how a firm would collect sh5.6 billion since 2014 from the eCitizen platform without authorization.
Kenyans online demanded for accountability of all the funds sent to the e-Citizen paybill number.
Dear Kenyans,
Imagine how much we have transacted through this ecitizen, Business Registration, DLrenewal, Passport application…etc
Conductor wa hii Bus Kenya..simamisha hapo stage ya Ethiopia.Treasury now disowns eCitizen platform company https://t.co/TaNXJlOKab via @BD_Africa— Mbugua Njung'e (@GMNjunge) November 14, 2017
And corruption continues, ecitizen was a superb idea. Whoever manages it sm1 in govt wants to eat, give them their kickback n life moves on
— mike Mwema (@mike_mwema) November 14, 2017
Since 2013?? Which Government takes ages providing services and receiving payments on an illegal platform?? Who owns the owners of eCitizen?
— TeacherTrizah™ (@TeacherTrizah) November 14, 2017
So the govt took ownership&used it as a campaign tool,launched the E-PASSPORT via eCitizen and now they claim they don't know the beneficiary owning the paybill number by safaricom receiving billions from kenyans, lakini #uthamaki mtatuua #CEOKFCBonHot96Fm
— Ꝟḯḵṯỏṝ Ragnarsson ?? (@Vik_Jakabuoch) November 14, 2017
When thieves fall out: Treasury now disowns eCitizen platform company
— Mbuve is #Leading4Impact, Are you?™ (@MwanaaRegina) November 14, 2017
Govt is now disowning the eCitizen platform that it has fronted since 2014. WOW! Citizens, your sweet money was obviously siphoned into personal bank accounts by the billions. Not to worry, the guys behind the scam will be around for 5 more years. https://t.co/xNZbblA2LA
— FYODOR (@Nerdotect) November 14, 2017
eCitizen was a great idea brought to limelight as the government came in power.. Since 2014 till now transacted over 5.6b shs.. And now the government disowns it.. Where was this money going.?? Retweet for awareness #secession #SupremeCourt #Resist
— Sitima (@SitimaFred) November 14, 2017
This eCitizen story is sickening now. The millions of cash kenyans has been paying daily via the platform has been ending in someone's pockets! What else is happening within this government?
— Mong'are Samuel (@Nyandugu) November 14, 2017
So eCitizen is a fraud? Were we not told that it's one of Jubilee's huge success? pic.twitter.com/JvfxspFbJ6
— nyandiga (@nyandiga001) November 14, 2017