• This was agreed upon on a consultative meeting between the CEC and the county assembly’s Budget and Appropriation Committee.
• Finance chief officer cites need for the county to discuss an economic stimulus plan that would cushion traders during and post-Covid-19.
Taita Taveta traders will have to pay to renew their business permits after the county government ruled out any possibility of a waiver.
Finance and Economic Planning executive Andrew Kubo said the county has to realise its revenue targets and that waivers can only be looked into on a need basis.
He said the decision was agreed upon during a consultative meeting between the executive and the county assembly’s budget and appropriations committee.
Kubo said the budget implementation cannot happen without realisation of revenue from the national government, donors and local streams.
“There is a need for continuity of services to the residents which depend on own-source revenue. Waiving business permit charges at the moment will derail service delivery,” Kubo told the committee on Wednesday.
He said most businesses had already paid the permits, with the county almost reaching its annual revenue target.
“As of March 31, the department had collected Sh163.7 million. Collections had risen to Sh215.3 million as at May 31,” Kubo said.
He said the increasing collection was an indication that business operators were positively contributing in payment of fees and charges for the general prosperity of the devolved unit.
“The few who are always reluctant should not be allowed to discourage the hardworking citizens who are always at the forefront in supporting the government in paying taxes,” he added.
Kubo told the committee that the department had advanced its tax scope, pointing out that already, revenue officers have been placed in the border town of Mackinon to collect revenue.
By Monday next week, revenue officers will be present in the disputed Mtito Andei town to collect taxes, the executive said.
Meanwhile, the department has interdicted 15 revenue officers for allegedly involvement in forgery and fraud.
Finance chief officer Leonard Lang’at cited the need for the county to discuss an economic stimulus plan that would cushion traders in the county during and post-Covid-19.
Committee chairman Godwin Kilele asked business operators to present their cases to the executive, who has powers to waive taxes.
“Some businesses were more hit than others, this should be used as a determinant of who to get the waiver,” Kilele said.
Most traders have severely been affected by the closure of major markets in the county, hotels and entertainment joints.
Waki Jarongo, a Voi business operator asked the county government to consider waiving taxes, saying the pandemic had generally affected all businesses.
“There is no point of a selective waiver, every trader has been hit by coronavirus effects. Most of the businesses might never recover,” Waki said.
Edited by R.Wamochie