Frustration is rising among many Kenyans due to poor services on the eCitizen platform, which was meant to make government services more accessible and efficient.
Instead of providing convenience, the system has turned into a nightmare for citizens who face errors, double charges, and complete silence when they try to get help.
Many people have paid twice for the same service and received no refund or support, making them feel helpless and ignored.
One case that clearly shows how bad the situation is happened on July 14, 2025. A Nairobi resident went to Huduma Centre to apply for a replacement of their national identity card.
They paid Ksh 1,050 through eCitizen as required. Unfortunately, they selected the wrong service description by mistake. This error made the payment useless for what they needed.
When they asked for help, they were told to visit the National Registration Bureau office at Kariakor. But to get the ID processed the same day, they had to pay again for the correct service, spending double the money for a single task.
After this, the person emailed eCitizen to ask for a refund. The response they got was shocking. They were told that eCitizen does not handle refunds and that such matters must be taken up with the National Registration Bureau.
The individual followed the instructions and contacted the bureau, but no one responded. Up to now, there has been no refund and no help offered.
This was not their first bad experience with the system. Earlier, they also had to pay twice for their child’s birth certificate because of a similar problem.
Again, their emails were ignored and the issue was never resolved. Email records show a clear pattern of poor communication and lack of action from those responsible.
It seems the system is not just failing once in a while, but is broken in the way it handles problems.
In a direct plea to Cyprian Nyakundi, the affected user explained their experience and asked for help in exposing the issue. They expressed concern that many other Kenyans might be suffering silently, paying double for services and getting no support in return.
The message stressed the need for a proper refund system and a working customer support team to help users when things go wrong.
This case reflects a bigger problem with how the eCitizen platform is run. The government wants to digitise services, but has not built in any proper way to fix mistakes, handle refunds, or respond to complaints.
As a result, citizens are losing money and wasting time. The platform was supposed to simplify access to services like birth certificates and ID cards, but instead, it has added stress and confusion.
The biggest worry is the lack of accountability when things go wrong. People pay upfront for services, and when the system fails, there is no one to turn to.
No one takes responsibility, and no one explains what to do next. This makes people feel cheated and abandoned by a system they are forced to use. Unless serious changes are made, such as creating a refund policy and improving communication between different offices, Kenyans will continue to suffer.
A digital system should work for the people, not against them. Right now, eCitizen is making life harder, not easier, and that needs to change before more people fall into the same trap.
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