NAIROBI, Kenya — The National Treasury has proposed new charges on Kenya’s eCitizen platform that could see some Kenyans pay double the current convenience fee for accessing government services online.
In a public notice issued by the National Treasury and Economic Planning, the government invited Kenyans to submit comments and memoranda on the draft Public Finance Management (e-Citizen System Management) Regulations, 2026.
The proposed regulations, spearheaded by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, seek to replace the current flat Sh50 convenience fee with a tiered pricing structure based on the value of the transaction processed through the eCitizen platform.
“Pursuant to Section 4(a) and 5(3)(a) and (b) of the Statutory Instruments Act, 2013, the National Treasury & Economic Planning invites members of the public to submit comments, inputs or memoranda they may have on the said draft Public Finance Management (E-Citizen System Management) Regulations, 2026,” the notice stated.
Under the proposed system, services valued below Sh99 would not attract any convenience fee. Transactions ranging between Sh100 and Sh499 would incur a Sh5 charge, while services costing between Sh500 and Sh9,999 would retain the existing Sh50 fee.
However, higher-value transactions would attract increased charges. Services costing between Sh10,000 and Sh99,999 would carry a Sh70 convenience fee, while transactions above Sh100,000 would attract a Sh100 charge.
The proposed structure is as follows:
| Service Cost | Proposed Convenience Fee |
|---|---|
| Below Sh99 | Free |
| Sh100 – Sh499 | Sh5 |
| Sh500 – Sh9,999 | Sh50 |
| Sh10,000 – Sh99,999 | Sh70 |
| Above Sh100,000 | Sh100 |
The proposed changes are expected to affect thousands of Kenyans who access government services through the eCitizen portal, particularly those making high-value payments.
Among the services likely to be impacted are passport applications. The government recently phased out the 34-page and 50-page passport booklets, leaving the 66-page passport as the standard option at a cost of Sh12,500.
Under the proposed regulations, passport applicants would pay a Sh70 convenience fee instead of the current flat KSh50 charge because the application falls within the Sh10,000 to Sh99,999 bracket.
While the increase may appear marginal for individual users, critics are likely to argue that the revised structure adds to the growing cost of accessing essential public services digitally.
The impact would be more significant for large-value transactions processed through eCitizen, including land-related payments, business registrations, permits, and other government approvals, where users could pay up to Sh100 in convenience fees.
According to the Treasury, payments processed through the eCitizen platform are split into different components depending on the government service accessed.
The primary service fee is remitted to the relevant ministry, department, agency, or county government responsible for delivering the service. These funds support administrative functions such as passport processing, licensing, permits, tax services, and regulatory approvals.
Treasury officials also said part of the collections supports maintenance and upgrades of the eCitizen platform and its backend systems, including integration with digital payment channels such as M-Pesa, Airtel Money, Equitel, banks, debit cards, and other electronic payment systems.
The proposal comes amid growing reliance on digital government platforms as Kenya continues shifting public services online under the government’s digital transformation agenda.
