10 May 2023
Safaricom has launched myCounty, a platform that enables all 47 geographic regions in Kenya to digitise municipal services.
The platform include payment for county services, revenue management systems, a citizen reporting and engagement tool and solutions around agriculture, health, utility bills and SME programmes.
Makueni became the first county to integrate with myCounty, and plans are afoot to gradually include all 47 counties in coming months, according to Safaricom.
The service seeks to ease access and payment of county services for the public, saving them from having to visit county offices for manual payments. Counties will benefit from more convenient access to their services, available 24/7, as well as increased revenue collection and better visibility of revenue collection and performance, says the company.
MyCounty is accessible through a USSD short code, Android and iPhone apps for all counties, and a mini-app on the M-PESA Super App, which Safaricom says will offer county services and payments including parking fees, single business permit fees, land rates, and property rates, among others.
“myCounty provides individuals and organisations with a single, convenient point where they can access, manage, and pay for all county services,” said Peter Ndegwa, CEO, Safaricom. “The service will be available for all 47 counties as a smartphone app, web portal and short code and will integrate both current and upcoming services irrespective of the county’s provider of choice, and in addition, provide a management portal.”
The company will host the service as part of the Safaricom Cloud, providing big data and analytics solutions, and for app users, it will enable digital receipts and electronic notifications.
“More than its convenience and accessibility, this app is a tool for breaking through barriers, challenging the status quo and re-imagining what is possible,” said Mutula Kilonzo, governor, Makueni County. “It is a tool for leadership, for inspiring our citizens to be bold and visionary in their thinking and to embrace the power of change to create a better county for themselves and generations to come. It is a recognition that the power to change the world is within each and every one of us.”
