‘New eCitizen payment system won't affect your experience,’ Karura Forest visitors assured

The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has assured visitors that the transition to the government’s eCitizen platform for payments at Karura Forest will not disrupt their experience.

Chief Conservator of Forests Alex Lemarkoko, in a statement on Saturday, said all payments for gate entry, parking, and related services will now be made through the approved government platform, in line with a National Treasury directive requiring all state services to onboard onto eCitizen.

“The new payment platform will not affect the institutional arrangement between the Service and the Community Forest Association,” said Lemarkoko, referring to Friends of Karura Forest (FKF), which co-manages the facility.

 “The only change is the payment platform itself; all other aspects of forest management will remain the same.”

The Conservator further noted that the system allows payments by phone and card, with an average processing time of about one minute, and invited visitors to give feedback to improve service delivery.

KFS said the shift to eCitizen is part of a wider government initiative to enhance transparency, efficiency, and security in public services.

On Friday, KFS announced moving all payments for services at Karura Forest to the government’s eCitizen platform saying that all visitors would be required to make all entry and parking payments exclusively through official eCitizen PayBill number 222222.