- Automation of services will also enable the county to seal revenue loss loopholes.
- The county also plans to establish a digital land register where residents will pay land rates among other payments.
Image: Alice Waithera
Murang’a county government will partner with Safaricom to digitise all its operations.
Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa on Wednesday met Governor Irungu Kang’ata to discuss the enhancement of digital services to improve delivery in the county.
The governor said the county plans to be the first to implement e-services in the country.
The devolved unit started the journey by digitising revenue collection in September last year and following its success, five out of 22 revenue streams have been automated.
“We have digitalised parking fees, payments in hospitals, markets, cess and quarry and veterinary services,” he said.
"In the next two weeks, single business permits and liquor licences will also be digitised to ensure residents access services in the comfort of their homes."
Automation of services will also enable the county to seal revenue loss loopholes.
The governor announced that beneficiaries of Kang’ata Care, one of his flagship projects will digitally choose their preferred health facilities for out-patient services.
“One can log into NHIF using *15#, enter their identity card number, indicate whether they are a member or dependent, select the county, then their preferred hospital and save their choice,” he said.
The achievements made in the automation of county services, he said, would have been impossible without the support of Safaricom.
“I called the CEO to seek some interventions during Christmas and he was kind enough to respond and through his intervention, we were able to roll out the services starting January,” he said.
Kang’ata revealed that the two will continue to partner saying he plans to introduce smart water metres as residents have been complaining of being overcharged by water companies.
The county also plans to establish a digital land register where residents will pay land rates among other payments.
Ndegwa reiterated that his company will continue supporting both the national and county governments as the country moves towards the digitalisation of services.
Image: Alice Waithera
“As you know, the country is going digital and the future is digital so it’s important that we become digitalised,” he said.
“As the leading technology company, we are delighted to be partnering with the government and you have heard the president talking about digitising over 5,000 services over the next six months."
Digitalisation, he said, helps the government to take services straight to the citizen through their mobile phone and reduces the need for travel.
He said the company can help county governments to use technology to increase revenue.
“In cases where someone is using a service, they should not be charged for the connectivity from their airtime or date. We’ll ensure the services are zero-rated because you are already paying for the actual service through the pay bill."
Kangema MP Peter Kihungi lauded the governor for making efforts to automate services.
He said while he was the leader of the majority in the first county assembly, there were issues of conflicts between taxpayers and enforcement officers.
“There was an incident where a matatu in Kiria-ini in Mathioya was involved in an accident while evading an enforcement officer," he said.
“Sometimes, you would park your car, look for parking attendants unsuccessfully but when you leave, they clamp your car."
He said digitalisation will help track matatus that have not paid their levies.