Growing frustration continues to mount among Kenyans over persistent inefficiencies, poor customer service, and a lack of accountability on the eCitizen platform, the government’s central digital services portal.
Citizens report being forced to pay multiple times for the same services due to system errors or miscommunications, with no clear avenue for redress or refunds.
One recent case features the mounting challenges ordinary Kenyans face when interacting with government digital systems.
On July 14, 2025, a Nairobi resident visited the Huduma Centre in the city to apply for a replacement of their national identity card.
As part of the process, they paid Ksh 1,050 through the eCitizen platform.
However, due to a simple error in selecting the wrong service description on the platform, the transaction was rendered invalid for their intended use.
Upon seeking correction, the applicant was directed to the National Registration Bureau office at Kariakor.
But in order to complete the process on the same day, they were required to pay a second time for the correct service, effectively doubling the cost of what should have been a routine ID replacement.
Attempts to resolve the issue through official eCitizen support channels proved futile.
The individual contacted eCitizen via email requesting a refund for the initial erroneous payment.
In response, they were informed that eCitizen does not handle refunds and that such matters fall under the purview of the National Registration Bureau.
Despite reaching out to the bureau as advised, the complainant reports that no reply has been received to date.
Worryingly, this was not the first time the same user encountered problems on the platform.
In an earlier incident, they were compelled to pay twice for their child’s birth certificate.
As in the ID replacement case, follow-up emails and attempts to seek resolution went unanswered.
In both cases, email trails exist to confirm the communication breakdown and the lack of action from the responsible authorities.
“Good evening, Cyprian Nyakundi. I kindly request your help in exposing the inefficiencies and frustrations Kenyans are facing on the eCitizen platform. On 14th July 2025, I visited Huduma Centre in Nairobi to apply for an ID card replacement. I paid Ksh 1,050 via eCitizen, but mistakenly selected the wrong service description. When I requested a correction, I was advised to visit Kariakor office, which I did. However, since I needed to finish the process that same day, I had to pay again for the correct service. I later emailed eCitizen for a refund, only to be told they don’t handle refunds and that I should contact the National Registration Bureau. I reached out, but no response has been forthcoming to date. Unfortunately, this is not my first bad experience with eCitizen. I was previously forced to pay twice for my child’s birth certificate. I have email trails for both cases and neither was resolved. It’s deeply unfair for citizens to be charged twice for essential services, and then left with no support or accountability. I believe many Kenyans are silently going through the same frustrations. Please help expose this matter and push for a proper refund mechanism and better customer support on eCitizen.”
Such experiences expose a growing problem within Kenya’s digital governance infrastructure: the absence of an effective and transparent refund mechanism, paired with non-functional customer support systems.
As the country continues to embrace digitisation of government services, citizens are finding themselves burdened with the consequences of system inefficiencies that fail to account for human error or provide avenues for recourse.
The challenges also raise questions about accountability in the management of funds collected via eCitizen.
For services that require citizens to pay upfront, including essential documentation like national IDs and birth certificates, the lack of a dispute resolution framework or clear communication channels leaves many vulnerable to financial loss and administrative frustration.
Despite the government’s push for a seamless digital service experience, users continue to experience obstacles that not only waste time but also erode public trust in e-governance systems.
As more Kenyans rely on platforms like eCitizen for basic civil services, calls are growing for the establishment of a well-defined refund policy, the streamlining of inter-agency coordination, and the strengthening of customer support functions.
Until meaningful reforms are introduced, many fear that the platform designed to make life easier for citizens will continue to be a source of avoidable stress, lost money and systemic injustice for countless users across the country.
