Ex-CJ Maraga slams government over e-Citizen scandal, says public funds were looted with impunity

Former Chief Justice David Maraga has accused the government of enabling the theft of public funds through the e-Citizen platform, citing damning revelations in the Auditor-General’s report.

In a strongly worded statement, Maraga said the misappropriation of public resources had worsened the plight of ordinary Kenyans and accused the current administration of operating with “arrogance and impunity.” He called for the immediate resignation and prosecution of officials implicated in the alleged scandal.

“This is not simply about imbalanced accounting books,” said Maraga. “This is about empty stomachs, stolen dreams, and children who can no longer afford school fees.”

According to the Auditor-General’s report, the government unlawfully collected over Sh1.8 billion from citizens through e-Citizen before January 2023, labelling the charges as “convenience fees” in violation of legal guidelines on administrative charges.

The report also highlighted unreconciled receipts amounting to Sh6.3 billion and USD 68 million, unauthorised transfers of Sh127 million to private entities, and excess charges exceeding Sh1.8 billion above the officially gazetted rates.

Maraga described the scandal as symptomatic of a leadership that treats public office as personal property and mismanages state funds like private wealth.

Prosecute culprits

He demanded that the government publicly reveal all local and foreign bank accounts used to siphon money through e-Citizen and ensure that the account holders are named and prosecuted per the law.

He further warned that the misuse of public funds through state-run digital platforms like e-Citizen had severely eroded public trust and worsened inequality. He urged citizens to stay vigilant in the fight for transparency and justice.

“We demand that the government make public all the accounts used to siphon public money, and that the holders of these accounts be publicly named and prosecuted,” he said. "The government must know that, unlike in the past, where more corruption desensitised the citizenry, Kenyans will not relent in their pursuit of accountability and good governance."

'Reset, restore and rebuild Kenya'

Maraga also rallied citizens to unite in what he described as a critical moment to “reset, restore and rebuild Kenya,” condemning what he called a betrayal of leadership and public trust.

His remarks come after the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) raised alarm over massive irregularities tied to the e-Citizen platform, calling it a “crime scene” riddled with large-scale corruption.

In its response to the Auditor-General’s special audit, the committee called for the platform’s immediate suspension, citing serious national security and financial risks.

PAC Chairperson and Butere MP Tindi Mwale said the platform operates without any legal foundation or regulatory framework. He noted it lacked standard agreements with financial institutions, exposing the government to lawsuits and potential financial losses.

No legal foundation

“From the findings of this report, the truth is, this system operates without any legal foundation. It completely lacks a legal framework; there’s no law under which it can be validated or regulated. There’s also no clear government structure to govern its operations,” Mwale said.

He added that the platform has no standard operating procedures (SOPs) or service level agreements (SLAs) with financial service providers, leaving the government dangerously exposed.

“Let’s be honest: if we truly care about this country and with the National Treasury represented here, we must admit that we should not be using this system. It has no legal backing whatsoever,” he added.

The committee also expressed concern that funds were being transferred to private entities and banks without proper legal instruments, rendering the transactions not only irregular but illegal.

“Even if a dispute arose and went to court, the government could easily lose to a bank simply because there are no binding service level agreements in place. That’s how dangerously exposed we are,” Mwale warned.