The government has made changes to the eCitizen portal to allow Kenyans living and working abroad to open an account using their email addresses.
The changes were announced by Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary Roseline Njogu through a notice posted on Twitter.
Njogu pointed out that eCitizen services were significantly enhanced and registration processes simplified to accommodate more individuals.
She noted that unlike before when those opening an account on the portal were required to provide their electronic mail and phone numbers, Kenyans can now sign up for an account with an email ID only.
“Government services are going digital. You can now create your E-citizen account using your email add, if you don’t have a Kenyan phone number,” she said.
“This one is for you, Diaspora,” she added.
Njogu said the changes were in line with President Ruto’s pledge to improve services to Kenyans in the diaspora as well as digitize government services.
“If you already have an account, you don’t need to change anything. This is for those who do not have eCitizen accounts,” she clarified.
During a meeting with Kenyans living in the United States in Washington, D.C last month, Ruto said the newly created State Department for Diaspora Affairs will boost service delivery to Kenyans abroad, especially on consular matters.
“We are going to decentralize and use technology to bring as many services as we can online. We know many Kenyans spend hours and days travelling to get consular services,” he stated.
He underscored the crucial role that Kenyans abroad play in Kenya’s economy.
“When you support your families back home you are also making a valuable contribution to the economy. Diaspora remittances are now Kenya’s biggest source of foreign exchange,” he added.
“We are keen to work with you; to utilize your networks to bring investments to Kenya so that we can create opportunities and move our country forward.“
After about a month of agony…
After about a month of agony trying to register at eCitizen website in order to renew my passport, I suddenly managed this week. B4 that there was no way to visit home since I urgently need new one b4 the current expired. Registration required your phone number in order to send you validation code. Never did that, now it recognized validation thru email. I had even pondered of aquiring foreign citizenship to enable me visit home the way I visit regularly.
That’s an unnecessary…
That’s an unnecessary exaggeration imho. I had a similar issue with verification but an email to the good folks at support and they were able to bypass that verification since I had all other details OK. You simply didn’t try or try hard enough.
This news is off-course a welcome change and a show of progressiveness.
Talking of boosting service…
Talking of boosting service delivery, another thing that needs to be looked at,is the part that requires one to provide ID copies/rather ID numbers of their references when renewing a PP.
I just find that section too old-fashioned and cumbersome. They could just trim it down to requiring only phone numbers and names. That is, if they really mean it when they say they want to ‘boost service delivery’ to kenyans abroad.