NAIROBI, Kenya — The State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services has defended its expenditure after lawmakers raised concerns over budget absorption and revenue management.
Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang told the National Assembly Administration and Internal Security Committee that Sh6.78 billion had been spent by December 2025 due to early commitments on critical supplies and service contracts.
“The expenditure is above 50 per cent due to full-year access to key items such as ID production materials and passport booklets,” he said.
Kipsang added that contractual obligations tied to the eCitizen platform also contributed to the spending.
However, legislators questioned audit findings indicating that some revenue within the Civil Registration Department is still collected manually.
The PS rejected the claims, insisting that all payments have been digitised through eCitizen using a paybill system.
He said the rollout of the Unique Personal Identifier remains central to reforms in identity management.
Meanwhile, State House Comptroller Katoo Ole Metito told the committee that a funding gap of Sh9.7 billion is affecting operations, with allocations falling short of requirements.
The review, chaired by Gabriel Tongoyo, is part of the scrutiny of Supplementary Estimates No. I for the 2025/26 financial year.
The discussions highlight ongoing concerns about public finance management, transparency, and the pace of digitisation in government revenue systems.
