Kenya to digitize gov't payment systems

Kenya to digitize gov't payment systems.

Kenya's Deputy President William Ruto said Friday Kenya will digitize all government payment systems in the next six months, and the government is implementing a digital strategy to facilitate on-line application and payments of key services.

"We are working on a digital payment platform in the next six months in all sectors of government," he told journalists during the launch of the Ministry of Mining's On-line Transactional Mining Cadastre Portal in Nairobi.

Ruto said the e-government initiative culminating into cashless payment is a major transformation that will reduce costs, eliminate corruption, and increase both efficiency and effectiveness.

"It is estimated that when the government goes digital, it will improve revenues by at least 30 percent. It will also eliminate the need for queuing outside of government offices," Ruto said, adding it will also improve the revenues streams by sealing loopholes used by corruption cartels.

"Digital payment will eliminate fraud whereby people engage in shortcuts. It will also enhance government revenue collection by 30 percent," Ruto said, adding government had the support of Kenyans in driving this agenda forward.

He said payment of government services such as renewal of driving licenses, land rates, business permits and other remittances will be hosted on the platform.

"We want to minimize handling of cash by government officers so as to reduce temptation of corruption," he said. Currently, most government services are paid for by cash.

Kenya is among the pioneers of the mobile payment platforms. "The digitization platform is also designed to leverage on the country's high mobile penetration rate," he said.

Ruto said the aim of the initiative was to provide Kenyans seamless services in addition to giving them an opportunity to access government services anytime at their convenience.

SOURCE:Xinhua