Petition filed challenging Ruto's order for 30 Gov’t agencies to join e-Citizen in one week

Kituo cha Sheria has moved to court to challenge the decision by President William Ruto compelling 30 government institutions to join e-Citizen within one week.

The organisation argues that the directive by the President is illegal, adding that there was no public participation.

Further, they argue that there are members of the public who are unable to access the government payment services by themselves, and that those people will be subjected to exploitation from third parties.

"The directive lacks transparency and the force law hence it undermines the rule of law," reads court papers.

The institution now wants the court to issue orders quashing the gazette notice and the directive issued by President Ruto to the government agencies to onboard the e-Citizen payment platform.

During the first anniversary of e-Citizen Directorate in Nairobi, the President listed the government agencies and ordered them to comply with the directive within one week or else face stern action including dismissal.

Ruto put 34 CEOs of the said agencies on notice for failing to adhere to the directive of digitising all operations through the e-Citizen platform to enhance transparency, adding that such companies defied a direct order and were soliciting funds through unscrupulous means.

"These entities have yet to comply with my directive that their services, revenue payments must be on e-citizen so that treasury can follow on the revenues been collected by government. They have one week to comply. Otherwise, they know what to do, they can make use of the door, it's as simple as that," Ruto noted. 

Further, the Head of State warned State agencies that are on the e-Citizen platform but still use alternative means of payment to pocket funds and ordered for a list to be drafted within three days of such State agencies using underhanded means to loot funds.

Earlier on, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi had hailed the  government’s effort to consolidate all online services through e-Citizen, reiterating that the process had cut down on graft by some government employees and offered Kenyans an overhaul of the public service to make it more accessible, affordable, and customer-centric for both local and international users of government services.