In Nairobi’s bustling heart, where ambition meets governance, a financial puzzle has gripped the nation. A staggering Ksh 6.5 billion, collected from visa fees for tourists and business travellers, has sparked questions that echo through Kenya’s corridors of power. What happened to the money? And why does the trail lead to a Swiss horizon?
Until early 2025, the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services oversaw the e-visa system, a digital gateway meant to ease entry while boosting public funds. But whispers of irregularity surfaced when a senior official was reassigned to another ministry in March, a move that raised eyebrows. Sources suggest the shuffle followed scrutiny over visa revenues, Ksh 6.5 billion allegedly channelled through a Switzerland-based tech provider between July 2024 and February 2025.
Some Ksh 1.5 billion,23 per cent of the total, was reportedly retained as payment for border digitisation services. The provider’s regional spokesperson has touted their platform as a game-changer: faster processing, tighter security, and seamless data. Yet questions linger. Why didn’t these funds flow to Kenya’s Consolidated Fund, as required by the Public Finance Management Act? The law demands transparency, placing public revenues under the Controller of Budget’s watchful eye. Here, though, billions seem to have slipped away.
The government’s response has been muted, fueling speculation. Was the official’s transfer routine or a bid to dodge tough questions? No one’s saying it outright, but the timing feels pointed. Meanwhile, the visa system’s pivot to the e-Citizen platform, a digital hub now mandatory for government services, adds another layer. Why the sudden shift? And why does e-Citizen, hailed as a state-owned marvel generating billions daily, sparking whispers of unclear ownership?
The intrigue deepens with echoes of a 2024 controversy in a small island nation, where similar questions arose over tourism revenues. The parallels, foreign providers, and murky deals feel uncanny. Kenya’s tourism sector, a Ksh 906 billion powerhouse, thrives on trust. Yet this saga risks denting its shine. If billions could vanish once, what’s next?
