AG Orders Treasury to Halt KSh50 e-Citizen Convenience Fee Collection
The AG issued the advisory in response to a contempt of court petition filed by Dr. Benjamin Magare Gikenyi, who accused several senior government officials, including Treasury CS John Mbadi, of defying Justice Chacha Mwita’s order halting the fee
By : Mweru Mbugua
Attorney General Dorcas Oduor has directed the Cabinet Secretary for the Treasury and Economic Planning to stop collecting the KSh50 convenience fee on e-Citizen transactions, in compliance with a High Court ruling
The directive follows a recent Court of Appeal decision dismissing an application to stay the execution of the April 1, 2025 judgment. As a result, the High Court orders remain in force while the appeal process continues
The AG issued the advisory in response to a contempt of court petition filed by Dr. Benjamin Magare Gikenyi, who accused several senior government officials, including Treasury CS John Mbadi, of defying Justice Chacha Mwita’s order halting the fee
While acknowledging that the government had appealed the ruling, AG Oduor emphasized that public officers are legally bound to comply with the court’s orders unless overturned
He noted that the government has acted in good faith, taking steps to adjust the e-Citizen platform to align with the ruling, although some administrative procedures require time
Also read : KMPDU, Machakos County in Fresh Push to Enforce Return-to-Work Deal
Dr. Magare argued that continuing to charge the fee violated the High Court order and undermined judicial authority
The AG countered that the government had already started aligning systems with the court’s judgment, ensuring compliance under the rule of law
