Nyeri records rise in revenue collection to hit Sh837m

Nyeri County recorded a 10 percent increase in revenue collection in the last financial year compared to the previous year after hitting an all-time high of Sh837 million against a target of Sh1 billion.

The county collected Sh837 million up from the Sh760 million raised in the 2017/2018 financial year.

Two years ago, the collected Sh643 million meaning that it has recorded a 30 per cent increment in own source revenue so far.

Counties have been under pressure to increase their own source revenue and meet their targets in order to end over-reliance on the equitable share disbursed by the national government.

AUTOMATION

Speaking during a ceremony to recognise and award best performing departments in revenue collection, Governor Mutahi Kahiga attributed the improved performance to automation of revenue collection.

“[Rollout] for our automated revenue collection systems, Nyeri Pay, will continue to bring on board more revenue streams in that effort to bring more people on board and make compliance easy and hustle free,” he noted.

He supported a proposal by the Finance and Economic Planning department to install CCTV cameras to boost surveillance in revenue collection points and seal leakages.

BEST PERFORMER

The best performing department was the Lands and Physical Planning which is headed by Dr Kwai Wanjaria which raised Sh154 million against a target of Sh166 million, representing 94 per cent success.

It was followed by the Agriculture docket which realised 91 per cent of its Sh22 million target after collecting Sh20 million.

County Director of Revenue Rehema Salim identified lack of updated valuation rolls and failure to gravel parking bays in order to widen income base as some of the challenges hindering revenue collection.

“Cess transporters’ strike at Gatei-Karundas quarries which as of yesterday had lasted for 53 days led to a revenue loss of approximately Sh2.5 million,” she said.

Ms Salim warned that the strike has threatened to cripple the whole revenue stream as transporters of all quarry products have shifted their operations to that area since there are no charges.

HEALTHCARE

Governor Kahiga noted that revenue raised by the Health department had dwindled following the rollout of Universal Health Care in public hospitals where patients are accessing treatment at zero cost.

“This was a tremendous improvement considering that it was the same year that the Universal Health Care programme was introduced which impacted negatively on revenue collection since there was no more charging of services at our county public hospitals,” he said.

The county will receive Sh5.3 billion as equitable share from the national government and conditional grants amounting to Sh1.7 billion but also targets to raise Sh1 billion in revenue to finance its budget.

Konyu MCA Eric Wamumbi noted that an increase in revenue will also result to increased exchequer releases to fund more development projects.

“More revenue collection means more funding for projects which will improve service delivery to our citizens. We do not need to increase the taxes but to only make sure we expand the revenue base,” he said.