Court blocks Ruto's online payment initiative

The High Court in Nairobi has blocked 34 government agencies and parastatals from shifting their services and payment to e-Citizen, an initiative driven by President William Ruto to shift to online payments for state services. Justice Bahati Mwamuye issued the orders in a case filed by human rights organisation Kituo cha Sheria and Hillary Mokaya, The Standard reports. Mwamuye directed that the agencies, which include Kenya Ports Authority, Kenya Power and Lighting Company, and Independent Policing Oversight Authority should not act on Ruto’s directive until 30 January next year, when the case returns to court. In the case, Kituo and Mokaya questioned Ruto’s orders, arguing that the agencies and parastatals are independent and cannot be controlled by the head of state. Their lawyer, Mosongo Maosa argued that the President’s directive was illegal as e-Citizen is not a banking institution. According to Maosa, the government payment portal was not licensed to take deposits from Kenyans or the banks' customers. He also said that the Institute of Certified Institute of Public Accountants of Kenya and the Institute of Certified Secretaries are also affected despite being linked to other professional bodies such as the Law Society of Kenya. Maosa asserted that Ruto’s directive would hamper services offered to Kenyans as some have no access to the Internet or are not knowledgeable enough to use a computer. He claimed that 34 CEOs who headed the institutions were at risk of losing their jobs if they did not obey. The second petitioner (Mokaya) told the court that only a paltry 4.4% of people living in rural areas have access to a desktop computer, laptop and tablet.

Full report in The Standard