Senate ICT Committee kicks off its coastal oversight visit in Mombasa County

Mombasa County
Friday, 23rd May 2025

The Senate Standing Committee on Information, Communication and Technology, led by Vice Chairperson Sen. Miraj Abdillahi Abdulrahman, officially kicked off its Coastal Region oversight tour today in Mombasa County.

The visit is part of a wider inquiry into how counties are implementing and operating Integrated Financial Management Information Systems (IFMIS) and other revenue collection and management technologies to enhance digital governance and improve efficiency in service delivery.

This visit marks the beginning of a series of engagements across Mombasa, Kilifi, and Kwale counties, with the aim of checking how counties are using ICT tools like the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) and other revenue collection systems.

Speaking during the County Oversight and Networking Engagement (CONE) at the Mombasa County Headquarters, Sen. Miraj opened the session by questioning the existence of a system known as "Mombasa Pay" a platform previously mentioned in audit reports but reportedly no longer in use. “But I think, Governor, it was prudent for you to have structured that there is a system, so that we have the system of Mombasa Pay that was being used for payments,” Sen. Miraj remarked, seeking clarity on its existence and structure.

In response, Mombasa Governor Abdullswamad Sherrif Nassir made it clear that the system doesn’t exist under his administration. “We did not find anything called Mombasa Pay when I got into office,” he said. “Up to 99% of our operations are digital, and we’ve made big strides, especially in health and land digitization.”

Senator Hezena Lemaletian joined in, pressing the Governor on whether the county had surrendered control of revenue collection to outsiders. “So, Governor, if I get you correctly, you have stated clearly that you are not privy to any system or platform that was doing this revenue collection... So, you’ve just given up the job to them?” she asked.

Governor Nassir responded that while the system in place was originally supported by the World Bank and TechPeace, the county has since upgraded its operations. He explained that a new contract signed earlier this year focuses on physically and digitally mapping all business premises annually an effort expected to improve transparency and revenue. “It’s not about giving up control. We chose a model that works. This system evolves with business growth, unlike the static one we had before,” he added.

Senator Shakilla Mohamed pressed further, asking about the number of digital systems currently being used in Mombasa and how they were procured. “Governor, you have five systems in place. Which ones were contracted under your leadership, and how were the contracts awarded?”

Governor Nassir clarified that only one contract was awarded during his term, and it went through a competitive tender. The vendor proposed to be paid based on a percentage of revenue collected, rather than demanding upfront fees a move the Governor said helped avoid unnecessary financial strain.

He also updated the Committee on Mombasa’s digitization efforts in health and land sectors. In healthcare, the county is rolling out a system that tracks patients from registration to diagnosis and treatment, with real-time digital updates. In the lands department, outdated records dating back decades are now being digitized, with the help of the County Pension Fund, to address issues around ownership, rates, and planning.

Vice Chairperson Senator Miraj and her colleagues questioned the Governor about a directive from the National Treasury asking counties to channel their collected revenue through national systems. Governor Nassir was firm in his stance: “Treasury should guide, not control. We stand with the Council of Governors on this. We’ve done our part we’re connected to IFMIS for payments, but we won’t surrender our own-source revenue.” He also defended the county’s financial performance, noting that despite not raising taxes, revenue has gone up through smarter systems and digital efficiency.

Sen. Miraj concluded the meeting by commending the county for embracing technology but reminded the officials that oversight will continue. “We’re here to support and to question. Our role is to ensure ICT systems actually work for the people,” she said. The Committee will continue its coastal oversight in Kilifi and Kwale counties in over the weekend.