Kenyans using the e-Citizen platform should brace for temporary service interruptions on two weekends in November as the government undertakes scheduled maintenance and system upgrades.
The National Treasury, through the Government Digital Payments Department, has announced that the platform will be unavailable or have limited access for seven hours on each of the two occasions.
In a public notice issued by Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo, the first maintenance exercise will run from 10 pm on Saturday, November 7, to 5 am on Sunday, November 8.
The second interruption is scheduled for the same hours, from Saturday, November 14, to Sunday, November 15.
The Treasury said the exercise is intended to upgrade the system, improve performance and strengthen security while ensuring the continued reliability of government digital services.
“The National Treasury, through the Government Digital Payments Department, wishes to notify members of the public, stakeholders, and all system users that scheduled maintenance will be undertaken on the e-Citizen Platform to facilitate system upgrades, improve performance, enhance security, and ensure the continued reliability of services,” the notice stated.
During the maintenance windows, users may experience temporary service interruptions or limited access to the platform and its associated services.
The government has advised Kenyans to plan their transactions in advance, particularly those seeking urgent government services that require online payments or applications.
“Users are therefore advised to plan accordingly and, where possible, complete any urgent transactions before the commencement of the maintenance exercise,” the notice added.
The interruptions could affect members of the public seeking to access services hosted on the platform, including applications, renewals and payments processed through government agencies.
The e-Citizen platform serves as a central digital gateway through which Kenyans access and pay for a wide range of government services, reducing the need to visit physical offices.
The government has increasingly relied on the platform to digitise public services and centralise payments, with users required to make transactions through the approved digital payment system.
The Treasury said the maintenance was necessary to improve service delivery and strengthen the platform's reliability, amid growing dependence on digital channels for accessing government services.
“The National Treasury regret any inconvenience this interruption may cause and appreciates the public's patience and understanding as we undertake this exercise to improve service delivery,” Kiptoo said in the notice.
The department did not specify which individual government services would be affected during the maintenance periods or whether all services would be completely inaccessible.
Users who have pending applications or payments are therefore encouraged to complete them before the scheduled downtime rather than wait until the maintenance windows.
The Treasury said the exercise was part of efforts to ensure the platform continues to provide secure and reliable services to the public.
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