Team unveiled to drive digital payments switch

A man sends money using his mobile phone. The plan to rollout digital payments for all government services has received a new push, a year since the first attempt collapsed. FILE PHOTO | DIANA NGILA |  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• The team is expected to file monthly progress reports to Mr Kinyua, who they are answerable to. They are also expected to set up a office and a government digital payments secretariat to manage the day-to-day implementation of the project.
• The introduction of such a platform to receive all government payment services such as land rates, passport fees and driving licenses was initially set for April 1, 2014. A three-month extension followed after a team of top technocrats was formed to drive the switch.
• “We are working on a digital payment platform in the next six months in all sectors of government,” the DP said during the launch of the Ministry of Mining’s online transactional mining cadastre portal in Nairobi.

The plan to rollout digital payments for all government services has received a new push, a year since the first attempt collapsed.

A task force of 12 members has been gazzetted to drive the initiative. The team will be chaired by National Treasury director for economic affairs Justus Nyamunga.

Through a May 13 special gazette notice signed by the Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, the mandate of the task force is to oversee implementation of digital payments for all government services in Kenya.

“The mandate of the task force is to implement government digital payments programme so as to ensure that individuals and businesses are enabled to make payments for government services electronically through all available channels,” read the notice.

Digital payments delivery channels such as online and mobile platform, attendant technology infrastructure, equipment and frameworks will all be approved by the 12-member team.

The task force draws membership from key financial arms of the government such as the Kenya Revenue Authority, Central Bank of Kenya, Kenya Trade Network, the Judiciary and the Office of the President.

FILE MONTHLY PROGRESS

The team is expected to file monthly progress reports to Mr Kinyua, who they are answerable to. They are also expected to set up a office and a government digital payments secretariat to manage the day-to-day implementation of the project.

Another gazette notice dated December 23, 2014 by Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury Henry Rotich detailed the government services digital payments programme.

“The government of the Republic of Kenya has developed the eCitizen.go.ke digital payments platform through which citizens and all persons will be able to pay for government services. This digital payments platform is integrated with all available electronic payment platforms in Kenya, including mobile telephone money payments services,” read notice published on December 30.

The introduction of such a platform to receive all government payment services such as land rates, passport fees and driving licenses was initially set for April 1, 2014. A three-month extension followed after a team of top technocrats was formed to drive the switch.

In February, Deputy President William Ruto said Kenya will digitize all government payment systems by August to cut costs, eliminate corruption, and increase both efficiency and effectiveness.

“We are working on a digital payment platform in the next six months in all sectors of government,” the DP said during the launch of the Ministry of Mining’s online transactional mining cadastre portal in Nairobi.

The digital payment directive was first floated by President Uhuru Kenyatta in November 2013.