E-PAYMENT

State assessing Kwale revenue system for possible adoption

Government seeks a revenue management system that can be applied nationwide.

In Summary

• Kwale Finance executive Sebe says a multi-agency finance team from the national government has shown interest in Kwale Pay.

• Sebe says out of the 26 counties the team has visited, only Kwale RMS has proved reliable and will most likely be adopted by the national government.

Finance executive Bakari Sebe at Kwale Cultural Centre in Matuga on Sunday, February 21, 2021.
OPTIMISTIC: Finance executive Bakari Sebe at Kwale Cultural Centre in Matuga on Sunday, February 21, 2021.
Image: SHABAN OMAR
Matuga residents during a public participation forum in Kwale on Sunday, February 21, 2021.
GATHERING: Matuga residents during a public participation forum in Kwale on Sunday, February 21, 2021.
Image: SHABAN OMAR

The national government might adopt the Kwale county revenue management system known as Kwale Pay, county Finance executive Bakari Sebe said on Sunday.

The system uses e-technology and was launched two years ago to improve efficiency in revenue collection and curb corruption.

Sebe said a multi-agency finance team from the national government has shown interest in Kwale Pay, which met the legal standard requirements.

He said the government is working towards coming up with a common revenue management system that can be applied nationwide.

“There is an exercise going on where all the county revenue systems are being assessed in a bid to find a suitable one to be presented to the President for national use approval,” Sebe said.

He spoke at Kwale Cultural Centre in Matuga during a public participation forum for views on the 2021-22 county fiscal strategy paper.

Sebe said out of the 26 counties the team has visited, only Kwale RMS has proved reliable and will most likely be adopted by the national government.

On Friday, representatives from the Commission on Revenue Allocation, the National Treasury, the Ministry of ICT, KRA, Central Bank, and the Council of Governors visited Governor Salim Mvurya to discuss a possible partnership in sharing the system for the benefit of the country.

Sebe said that unlike revenue collection systems in other counties, Kwale Pay was designed in a way that offers services even when the Internet is low. It has helped tackle cases of indiscipline among revenue collection officers, he said, adding that previously, the officers were pocketed a share of the revenue collected.

“Let me be honest, we had a lot of trouble back then with our field officers, but thanks to the system, those challenges are gone,” he said.

Kwale Finance executive Bakari Sebe at Kwale Cultural Centre in Matuga on Sunday, February 21, 2021.
PLANNING: Kwale Finance executive Bakari Sebe at Kwale Cultural Centre in Matuga on Sunday, February 21, 2021.
Image: SHABAN OMAR
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