By WAINAINA NDUNG’U
Nyeri,Kenya:Governor says hawkers’ levies will be reduced to cushion them against losses, help them grow
Nyeri County is planning to reduce licence fees for small-scale traders, Governor Nderitu Gachagua has announced.
Gachagua said the reduction of licence fees was in the works and an announcement would be made in two weeks to cushion small traders income and help them grow their businesses.
Motorist will have a reprieve also, as the Gachagua administration is planning to introduce one parking ticket, which will be used in all the towns in the county.
Nyeri town residents greeted Gachagua’s announcement during a visit by President Uhuru Kenyatta with wild cheering. The move is expected to benefit scores of traders including hawkers, open market traders, vendors and kiosk operators.
“I promised you this when I was campaigning and I will do it now,” Gachagua said.
Yesterday, the governor told The Standard that alternative means to raise revenue for his government will be explored to bridge the shortage created by the reductions.
Emulate them
“A hawker pays Sh10 per day to our councils translating to over Sh3,500 per year but a top class hotel pays Sh60,000 licence fee per annum. This is surely inequitable comparing their incomes and we are proposing that fees on such hotels be based on bed occupancy,” said the mayor.
Gachagua said establishing alternative revenue streams was urgent because the former councils in the county earned a combined revenue of Sh460 million annually but that this was not enough to cover even their employee wage bills.
At the same time, the governor told President Uhuru that his government was working well with the Nyeri County Commissioner Michael Mwangi and wanted other counties to emulate them.
Speaking at the Nyeri town centre, the governor said his counterparts should respect the boundaries between the national government and the devolved units. “I want to urge my fellow governors that we must now accept there is a government in place,” he said.
