City Hall wants to charge schools for garbage collection to help make up for its revenue shortfall. The measure is proposed by the executive in the 2018-2019 Finance Bill.
Day primary schools accommodating as many as 150 pupils would pay a minimum monthly fee of Sh3,000-4,000.
Schools with 151 to 850 learners would pay Sh4,500 to Sh30,000.
Boarding schools and colleges with one to more than 2,000 students would pay Sh12,000 to Sh65,000. The assembly’s Budget committee was dissatisfied, however, with the description of proposed charges.
“We are concerned because the county has not specified the duration of the fees and the categories of school, whether public or private,” chairman Robert Mbatia said.
Residents have complained about proposed increases in garbage collection fees in estates. In the Finance Bill, the Treasurer has proposed that garbage collectors be charged Sh5,000 per trip for solid waste collection.
“In a week some of us (garbage collectors) don’t even meet the target of Sh5,000. How does the county expect us to pay that amount for one trip? This is ridiculous,” Jeff, a Kasarani resident, said.
The residents had gathered at the Jericho Social Hall on Tuesday for the public participation forum on the Finance Bill. The two-day forum started on Monday in Waithaka ward.
It was held by the budget committee. Residents said that if schools are charged for garbage collection, teachers might start extorting parents.
They also opposed proposed fees for pitching tents for events. The city would charge Sh10,000-30,000 per day depending on the number of seats.
"Some of us make money by setting up tents to draw customers who want to rent them. If we are charged these much, clients will go and we shall run out of business,"
trader Okumu said.
Vegetable vendors commonly called mama mboga condemned proposed market service charges. Sh1,000 per ton would be charged for cabbages and sukumawiki.
They complained that the county was targeting low-income earners. Residents suggested that garbage collection charges in schools be reduced and the institutions be charged according to the amount of garbage produced.
They also said that within estates, the proposed Sh5,000 fee be reduced to Sh1,500.
They called for scrapping fees on setting up tents and on mama mboga. They demanded that Governor Mike Sonko and MCAs deliver on their campaign pledges.
MCAs promised to ensure the common man is not overtaxed.
Embakasi MCA Michael Ogada said the Budget committee will ensure some of the charges are either reduced or scrapped.