Western counties plan to raise medical charges

Counties in western Kenya plan to increase hospital charges to generate additional revenue.

The county treasuries also intend to get more money from agriculture and business.

Some of services targeted for increased charges are vaccination, male circumcision, leasing of ambulances, laboratories, age and mental health assessments as well as food export certification.

“The penalty fee for clinic non-attendance will be Sh200, male circumcision Sh1,500 while vaccination for yellow fever will be Sh2,500,” states the Kisumu County Finance Bill.

Counties are under pressure to come up with their own means of generating income instead of depending on the National Government.

Kisumu, Kakamega, Vihiga and Migori county leaders told the Nation by phone--on Thursday-- that charging more would help seal the gaps of inadequate funding by the National Government.

Kisumu Budget Committee chairman Willis Mindeu, his Kakamega counterpart Bryson Sikolia, Vihiga Leader of Majority Andrew Ahuga and Migori Finance executive Tom Omollo said finding alternative ways of funding would help in achieving the functions stipulated in the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution.

The preparation of the finance Bills is a requirement of the Public Finance Management Act 2012 to outline ways of raising money for the counties each financial year.

The Act further instructs that Bills must be prepared with the approval of the county assemblies.

INCREASED TAXATION
In the Bills, Kisumu and Vihiga counties have proposed increased taxation on chang’aa and busaa production to discourage the mushrooming of drinking dens.

The Kisumu Bill has also introduced levies on slaughtering cows, goats, sheep and chicken in public slaughterhouses.

“Access or market fee shall be charged on the goods specified in the schedule,” Mr Mindeu said.

In Kakamega, the Bill pro poses charges on the use of all bus parks as well as parking fees in public places.

“Salon car owners will pay Sh100 for parking, lorries of 3-7 tonnes Sh200, trailers and buses Sh300, motorcycles Sh30 while tuk tuk drivers will part with Sh40,” states the Bill.

The Kisumu and Kakamega Bills also propose taxation for people occupying plots, stalls or houses leased or rented out by the county governments.

“A person shall not carry out any business or service within the county without a valid licence or permit issued by the relevant county office,” Mr Mindeu said.

GROWTH AND EXPANSION
Mr Omollo said his committee had presented its Bill which outlines service fees on all the goods to the assembly to seek members’ input before assent by the governor.

“The Bill seeks to provide for the various taxes, fees and other service charges payable to the County Government of Kakamega,” Mr Omollo said.

Mr Ahuga said Vihiga County had, however, reduced some of the levies on local traders to improve expansion and growth of businesses.

“What we plan to charge is the application of business permits and the daily levies which may not exceed Sh150 depending on the kind of trade,” he said.

The Transitional Authority (TA) has cautioned county assemblies against passing Bills touching on budgetary allocations without proper interpretation of the national policies and standards.

TA chairman Kinuthia Wamwangi said that some assemblies had arbitrarily passed Bills in contravention of the County Integrated Development plans.

Mr Wamwangi, who was on a tour of West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet and Uasin Gishu counties, said a Bill passed by Elgeyo Marakwet assembly may be declared illegal. The contentious “Equitable Development Bill of was awaiting Governor Alex Tolgos to sign it into law.