Traders threaten to stop paying county levies

What you need to know:

  • “There is a lot of wastage in all the counties not just Mombasa alone. They are asking for more money but do not want to account for what they already have,” Mr Mureu said.
  • He said all charges proposed in the Bill that do not directly relate to property rates, entertainment taxes or represent fees for services should be removed.

Traders in Mombasa have threatened to stop paying levies to the county government if it does not stop wasting funds.

Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry branch chairman James Mureu claimed that there was wastage of funds with the county failing to give an account.

“There is a lot of wastage in all the counties not just Mombasa alone. They are asking for more money but do not want to account for what they already have,” Mr Mureu said.

He asked governors to account for the little they had before asking for more. The chairman added that revenue collected by the counties came from the business community which works hard to generate the money.

“It is very wrong for the government not to be insensitive to that fact; we are asking the President and his leadership to take the business community seriously.”

CONTRAVENES CONSTITUTION

Speaking during a press briefing at the chamber’s offices, Mr Mureu criticized the Mombasa County Finance Bill, 2014, saying it contravened the Constitution.

He said all charges proposed in the Bill that do not directly relate to property rates, entertainment taxes or represent fees for services should be removed.

“This includes any excess charge and any charge that can be defined as an excise tax,” the chairman added.

He further urged the county to push to be allocated a percentage of revenue collected at the port.