The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has assured the public that the shift to the government’s eCitizen platform for payments at Karura Forest will not affect visitors’ experience.
Chief Conservator of Forests, Alex Lemarkoko, announced on Saturday that all payments for entry, parking, and related services will now be processed through eCitizen, in line with a National Treasury directive requiring government services to migrate to the platform.
During an early morning visit to Karura to oversee the rollout, Lemarkoko emphasized that all staff—including scouts, clerks, cleaners, and contracted workers—will remain in place. He also clarified that holders of annual passes can continue using them until they expire.
“The new payment system will not disrupt existing arrangements with the Friends of Karura Forest (FKF), which co-manages the facility,” Lemarkoko said, adding that the only change involves the mode of payment.
The Conservator further explained that visitors will be able to pay using mobile money or bank cards, with transactions taking about a minute to process. He encouraged feedback from visitors to help improve service delivery.
KFS noted that the transition is part of a broader government effort to promote efficiency, transparency, and security in public service payments.
On Friday, the agency confirmed that all transactions at Karura will now be made exclusively through the official eCitizen PayBill number 222222.
