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Council plans to privatise its revenue unit

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Published on Monday, 24 November 2008 10:03
Kisii Municipal Council on Friday moved to curb massive graft at its revenue department by announcing plans to privatise the service. The Mayor, Cllr Samuel Nyangeso regretted that some workers at the department were denying the council revenue by pocketing levies they collected.

"We are in the process of privatizing revenue collection because some unscrupulous workers were colluding with their seniors to freeze the council," he said.  Speaking at his parlour, Nyangeso cited Nyambera Bus Park where the council was netting Sh150 000 daily from matatus as one of the targeted reform area.

The figure, he said, drastically dropped to Sh100,000 before it settled at Sh40 000, a trend he said was beyond his comprehension. Preliminary investigations, the mayor said, revealed that some revenue collection clerks were using five sets of receipts with only one being genuine. He, however, didn’t disclose their names.

"The business community duly remit levies, expecting service in return, but the money never reaches the council," he explained. Town Treasurer, Mr John Ngugi, said the council was among the most stable financially in the country and boosts a work force of 260 employees who draw monthly salaries totalling Sh4 million.

He urged Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Government, Musalia Mudavadi, to post competent revenue officer to the council clear corruption. The mayor said undeveloped plots within the municipality would be reposed. "Those allotted plots within the town should develop them within two weeks, " he said, adding that the plots had been turned to dumping sites.