President William Ruto has rebuked school administrators who have moved to court to challenge the government’s directive for school fees to be paid through the eCitizen platform.

Speaking during a national education conference in Naivasha on Thursday, May 7, 2026, the President expressed frustration with headteachers who prefer manual bookkeeping, questioning why they want to continue writing receipts on pieces of exercise book when parents should be able to pay from the comfort of their homes.

“We have some head teachers who have taken us to court because they do not want parents to pay school fees on eCitizen, they want to continue writing receipts on pieces of exercise books. Why do you want to continue writing receipts on pieces of paper where nobody traces? Today, parents should be able to pay from the comfort of their homes on ecitizen,” Ruto noted.

Shift to digital payments

Ruto characterised the shift to digital payments as a strategic decision aimed at ending the era of cash transactions within the government, noting that cash is very sticky and lacks the necessary traceability for public funds.

According to Ruto, by utilising the eCitizen platform, the administration seeks to ensure data verification and provide the government with clear visibility on how much money is being paid in fees.

“I have made a strategic decision that we do not want to deal in cash in this administration because cash is very sticky, and that is why today you can pay literally for any government service, on a digital platform through Mpesa through the bank, so that you have traceability, and we can have visibility as government that so much money has been paid,” Ruto stated.

The Head of State appealed to the leadership of KNUT and KUPPET to prevail upon school principals and convince them to adopt the use of the eCitizen platform.

“Mtusaidie (help us)”, he said. “Why do you want to continue writing receipts on pieces of paper where nobody traces?”

eCitizen case at court

Nairobi High Court on Monday, April 1, 2025, ruled that payment of school fees through e-citizen is unconstitutional.

Delivering the ruling, Judge Chacha Mwita barred the government from imposing the directives issued to parents to pay school fees through e-citizen

Justice Mwita stated that there was no public participation exercise carried on before the directive was issued.

Further, he stated that school fees are not government revenue, and therefore, they are not to be collected through the e-citizen platform.

“The declaration is hereby issued by the directive that parents pay school fees or any levies to government institutions of learning through e-citizen was done without public participation or stakeholders’ engagement, and it is unconstitutional and illegal, and therefore null and void,” Justice Mwita ruled.