Ruto Orders Closure Of 1,000 Paybill Numbers, Launches Gava Mkononi App

President William Ruto on Friday, June 30 ordered over 1,000 Paybill numbers used for the collection of payments for government services be shut down within the next 90 days.

Speaking during the launch of Gava Mkononi, a mobile app version of the e-Citizen platform, President Ruto revealed that Kenyans will soon use a consolidated pay bill number, 222222, to pay for government services.

The Head of State had expressed that the government was unable to account for some of the pay bill numbers in use by government agencies.

President William Ruto, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Interior CS, Kithure Kindiki during the launch of Gava Mkononi App on June 30, 2023. /PCS

"There is a dedicated government pay channel, 222222. The expectation of the government is that all government revenue must now use the pay channel so that Treasury can have sight of every government service that is paid for.

"I am going to be making an announcement here that in the next 90 days, all other pay bills must be shut down because we have a problem with some of the PayBills that we cannot account for. We have close to over 1,000 PayBills some of which we don't have sight of. They must now be closed," he announced.

He added that the government amount paid through the consolidated pay bill will be used by the Treasury to remit the amount to respective ministries.

"All government money will be paid through 222222 directly to the Treasury and then the Treasury will make sure that that whole eco-system works. If there is money going to a particular ministry, the Treasury will ensure that the cash goes to the respective ministry and agencies," he added.

According to Ruto, the government was realigning financial management to ensure efficiency and reduce corruption tendencies fuelled by physical interactions in government offices.

Gava Mkononi

At the same time, Ruto unveiled the Digital Government Services, Gava Mkononi (eCitizen Mobile App) which will be expected to bring over 5,000 government services together, allowing Kenyans to access the government services from the comfort of their homes.

Some of the services offered on the app include business registration services, police clearance, civil registration services, foreign nationals' initial registration, and the directorate of immigration services.

Other services include those offered by the Kenya Ports Authority, Kenya Revenue Authority, Hustler Fund, National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), and the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).

How To Access

1. The app can be downloaded online from an app store, after which, a user progresses to creating an account by inputting the necessary information.
2. Some of the required details include the name of the user, phone number, National Identity Card, and email address.
3. You can register either as a citizen, foreigner, or resident using the platform.
4. Once registered, Kenyans can browse through the numerous government services.
5. Kenyans can pay for all services via mobile money and debit cards.

Ruto also unveiled the Gava Express, which mirrors Huduma Centers, a platform which will provide services at the grassroots level compared to physical centres that offer government services in urban areas, including major cities.

The government aims to open over 300,000 centres countrywide in partnership with the private sector.