Kenyans could soon dig deeper into their pockets to access government services online after the National Treasury proposed new eCitizen convenience charges that will increase fees depending on the value of services sought.
The proposed changes are contained in the Public Finance Management (E-Citizen System Management) Regulations, 2026, which seek to introduce a tiered charging system on the digital government platform.
Under the proposal, Kenyans seeking services worth more than Ksh100,000 will pay a Ksh100 convenience fee, while transactions valued between Ksh10,000 and Ksh99,999 will attract a Ksh70 charge. Currently, all transactions on the eCitizen platform attract a flat Ksh50 convenience fee.
Lower-value services will also be affected under the proposed structure. Transactions costing between Ksh100 and Ksh499 will attract a Ksh5 convenience charge, while services valued below Ksh99 will remain free from the additional fee.
The Treasury says the move is aimed at aligning convenience charges with the value of services being accessed through the digital platform.
The new charges are expected to affect thousands of government services currently available on eCitizen, including passport applications, business registration services, birth and death certificate processing, and other government transactions.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi defended the proposed regulations, saying the convenience fee is necessary to support the management and sustainability of the digital platform.
“There shall be a convenience fee charged for services offered by national or county government entities onboarded on the system,” the proposed regulations state.
The government, however, clarified that services already offered free of charge will not attract the convenience fee.
The proposal comes months after courts declared the existing Ksh50 convenience fee illegal, discriminatory, and introduced without proper public participation. The High Court had also ruled that the charge amounted to double payment for public services.
Although the government later appealed the ruling, the appeal was unsuccessful, forcing the State to seek a legal framework through fresh regulations now undergoing public participation.
Government officials argue that removing the convenience fee entirely could affect the sustainability of the eCitizen platform and disrupt delivery of online services.
The eCitizen platform was launched as part of the government’s digitisation programme aimed at improving efficiency and reducing delays in accessing public services.
President William Ruto has previously defended the platform, saying it has helped streamline service delivery and improve revenue collection, with thousands of services now available online.
However, the proposed fee increase is already likely to trigger fresh public debate as Kenyans continue grappling with the rising cost of living and increased government charges.