Kakamega can generate Sh5bn annual revenue - Official

Kakamega County has the potential to generate over Sh5 billion annually in revenue if efficient revenue collection strategies are in place.

This is according to the County Executive Committee Member-CECM for ICT Racheal Atamba.

Speaking when she led a team from her office in sensitizing the county assembly committee on ICT and e-government on the new revenue collection and management system, policies and standards, the official noted that ICT plays a fundamental role in revenue management and collection.

The county recently launched the Kakamega County Revenue Agency-KCRA, a semi-autonomous agency meant to enhance the county’s own-source revenue collection whose objective is to ensure financial independence and discipline through own-source revenue mobilization.

The county revenue collection had been set at Sh.2.2 billion annually but Atamba is confident that the region can generate more than that with the right approach that incorporates better ICT strategies.

She stated that as an enabler Ministry, her departments are establishing policies to ensure the county achieves or surpasses the projected revenue target this Financial Year.

“Kakamega has the potential of collecting Sh5 Billion. While the county government builds up towards improving its own source revenue to reduce overreliance on the Exchequer, we are supporting to coming with policies that will effectively facilitate that,” she said.

She noted that in support of the initiative by the ICT Unit, the Communication Unit will also play a fundamental role in informing members of the public and other stakeholders about the policies, programmes and projects of the county government.

“We must have all this information flowing through the right channels and reach the masses in the fastest, most precise and most effective way possible. That's where the communication unit comes in,” said Atamba.

The chairperson of the Kakamega county assembly committee on ICT and E-government Eddy Obwaka urged for more capacity-building forums for key stakeholders aimed at addressing challenges that may arise from lack of information.

“We shall support the Ministry’s mandate in every way possible because we understand that our county has the ability to reach that stipulated goals,” he said.