Governors' plan to raid your pockets

By The Counties Team

NAIROBI, KENYA: The cost of living is bound to become higher for Kenyans as devolved governments implement laws that introduce taxation on things that have never been taxed in history.

County governments have been drawing up new and sometimes weird tax laws to increase revenue even as the national government accuses the devolved units of failing to utilise more than sh 40 billion allocated last year.

Kenyans are up in arms against the new frontiers in taxation that devolution has ushered in. In the 50 years Kenya has existed, no government has ever demanded any form of levy from a church service or the offerings.

In what seems to be a bizarre coincidence, several counties have drafted and passed laws that could be an obstacle to ‘spiritual nourishment’.

Gone will be the days preachers could pitch tent inside parks during lunch breaks. Now they will have to pay for their preaching by the hour.

In Mombasa and Kisumu, residents who have been living in houses that previously belonged to the local government are now reeling in shock after the county governments raised the rents by more than two times.

In some counties like Busia, the leaders are going through agonizing times after the clergy accused them of passing laws that want to tax religious activities.

“The Church is a non -profit making body which only depends on volunteers. This is partly the reason the national government has never imposed taxes on the church,” said Pastor Wanyama who is the founder of Grace Fellowship Ministries.

He added: “The proposed taxes are unbearable to common mwananchi and will make life difficult and unbearable besides opening a gate for grand corruption.”

One of the most hilarious proposals to raise revenue is a proposal by Kakamega County to levy Sh20 on every chicken kept in an urban area. In Elgeyo Marakwet one has to pay Sh25 to the county administration for every chicken slaughtered.

Kenyans in different parts of the country have been complaining against the new taxes. In Machakos, boda boda operators blocked Mombasa road for hours to show their displeasure with the law requiring them to pay the county government Sh300.

Council of Governors chairman Isaac Ruto said the revenue increment by the governors in the 47 counties is based on the Finance Management Act that was enacted by various county assemblies.

He said the increment in counties went through public participation and all the stake holders were involved adding that it will take time for people to understand it.

He said members of the public were making a lot of ‘noise’ about the taxation because of the short notice by the county government.

“The county government and county assembly formulated and implemented the law shortly after the general election when the government came in,” added Ruto.

However, Ruto said the affected people, majority of who are businessmen, have the right to appeal the law.

“It is unfortunate that people have started politicizing this issue. People have been talking about taxing chicken and other animals in urban areas but the urban policy restricts this,” he pondered.

But as the controversy rages over whether the county governments are justified in making life harder for poor Kenyans, it was revealed that the devolved units have been unable to utilize the billions they were allocated.

When Deputy President William Ruto recently accused counties of failing to use their funds for development, the chairman of the governors forum Issac Ruto was quick to defend his colleagues.

The governor claimed the billions lying at the Treasury were meant to pay salaries for civil servants who were seconded to counties from the national government.

Nakuru County

KINUTHIA MBUGUA

Residents who intend to fence their compounds using building blocks will have to part with Sh4, 000.

The erection of a temporary fence will cost residents Sh1, 500 while those using barbed wire have to pay Sh2, 000.

Traders are also up in arms over an annual fee of Sh1, 000 for fire control services besides the requirement that they should have a fire extinguisher in their premises.

Tax at the rate of 1 per cent of horticulture gross sales will have to be remitted by the producers.

Bomet County

ISAAC RUTO

Bars and restaurant owners who used to pay Sh10,000 for businesses under one licence are now required to pay Sh15,900 for the bar and an additional Sh5,000 for the restaurant. Retail shop owners are expected to pay Sh10,000 up from Sh4,900 whereas tailors who operate on verandas of business premises will now pay Sh4,000 up from the previous Sh400.

Laikipia County

JOSHUA IRUNGU

The county is home to expansive ranches and the County government has passed a law that requires ranch owners to pay Sh70 for every acre of land they own. The previous charge was Sh3 per year.

Salon owners will pay Sh5,000 up from Sh2,800 while butchery owners will part with Sh3,900 up from Sh3,500.

Fashion shop owners will pay Sh10,000 up from Sh3,500.

BUSIA COUNTY

SOSPETER OJAAMONG

A move by the county government targeting churches to raise revenue has led to a standoff between the clergy and county bosses.

The proposed law says the preachers have to pay Sh1, 000 for every church service, Sh10, 000 for religious rallies using the main dais, Sh5, 000 for rallies using lawns and Sh2, 000 for pitching tents among other levies.

The clergy now say it is wrong for the county to tax their offerings and services. MCAs say the clergy are misleading people and they only want them to pay if they use county government halls.

NANDI County

CLEOPHAS LAGAT

Discussions on Nandi county taxation laws are still ongoing.

Concern has been raised by leaders that the old laws of Nandi Town and Nandi Hills local government authorities are being used to levy taxes and that there was no uniformity.

Baringo County

Benjamin Cheboi

Any resident who owns a power saw has to pay Sh10, 000 per year to the county government.

Dealers in tree seedlings are required to give the county government Sh200 per day and for the herbalists, they will pay Sh2,000 per year to operate. 

Anyone whose domestic animal dies has to pay fees for the disposal of the carcass – Sh100 for each hen, cat and pig and Sh300 for big carcasses such as cows, donkeys or camels.

Livestock traders and transporters are to pay between Sh20 and Sh75 to transport goats, camels, sheep or cows outside Baringo. 
Shooting a commercial film will attract Sh50, 000 per week and a full feature Sh100, 000 per week, while normal filming will attract Sh25, 000. A music video shoot will earn the county Sh5, 000. 
Timber businessmen are set to part with Sh15,000 per tonne and Sh25,000 above 10 tonnes, and also pay Sh5,000 per tonne for logs/poles and Sh30,000 for over 10 tonnes. 

Nyeri County

GACHAGUA NDERITU

In its proposed Finance Bill, Donkey owners in Nyeri County will have to attach a kiondo/ bag to the hind quarters of their donkeys to collect donkey droppings or face a Sh2,000 fine from the county government.

Small entertainment facilities of up to 50 seats are to pay Sh15,000 per year in fees to operate within Nyeri town.

KIAMBU COUNTY

WILLIAM KABOGO

For every bag of farm produce farmers have to pay Sh40 up from Sh20. For a bunch of bananas farmers have to pay Sh30 irrespective of its size.
For bulk suppliers, for every pick-up (up to 3 tonnes) and above traders will have to pay Sh300 as cess, a canter (3-7 tons) Sh500, a lorry (8-12 tons) Sh700 and anything more than 8 tons Sh1, 000.

Besides the daily fee, traders will be paying various fees to operate in a public market, (Sh1, 500-Sh3, 000 annually) depending on the location and market structure while a slab stall that was going for Sh200 is now Sh400 a month. Slaughter fee is Sh400 for per cow, Sh150 for sheep/goats and Sh20 for chicken.

Kakamega County

WYCLIFFE OPARANYA

In Kakamega County, a yet-to-be-published bill wants to levy Sh5,000 on dead adults before they are buried. Residents will also part with Sh500 for keeping livestock such as cows, goats and sheep. The most controversial part of the bill is the requirement that a Sh20 levy will be charged on every chicken kept in urban areas of the county.

In the proposed bill, residents will be required to pay for space for private burial at a cost of Sh5, 000 for adults and Sh2, 000 for a child.

Bodaboda operators will be required to pay Sh50 every day while saloon cars and pickup trucks will be charged Sh100 for parking while buses and trailers will be required to pay Sh300 for the same.

Mombasa County

HASSAN JOHO

Advertising costs for billboards erected within the county have shot up from 10,000 to Sh100,000, with the annual application fee rising to Sh75,000 from Sh2,000.

The act will now see the county sell extracts of council minutes per extract, with each extract going for Sh1,000 from the current Sh300.

The county has revised the rates for county estates by more than 300 per cent with some estates rent rising by more than 400 per cent.

Hawking in the street, street verandahs and temporary buildings have shot from Sh7,500 to Sh42,500.

Nairobi County

EVANS KIDERO

Politicians will pay Sh250, 000 per day to use the main dais at Uhuru Park for political rallies and Sh40, 000 for using the park’s lawns.

Religious rallies on Uhuru Park’s main dais now attract Sh50, 000 while using the lawns will require that you pay Sh40, 000.

Sh2, 500 per hour has been slapped on lunch-time preachers using the county’s park lawns.

To grow one tree in your compound, you will be required to pay Sh5, 000 and if you wish to prune it, you pay Sh3, 500.

Residents are now required to pay Sh70, 000 for adults, Sh50, 000 for children and Sh30, 000 for infants at City Park cemetery. Grave reservation at the cemetery is Sh40, 000 for adults and Sh20, 000 for children.

At Langata cemetery, the rates are Sh25, 000 to bury adults, Sh15, 000 for children and Sh12, 000 for infants.

Owners of wholesales, hypermarkets, departmental stores, supermarkets, showrooms, boutiques, exhibitions, retail shops, chemists, butcheries and kiosks will pay from Sh4, 000 to Sh120, 000.

Elgeyo Marakwet County

ALEX TOLGOS

For every chicken slaughtered one has to pay Sh20 and every cow Sh50.

Paragliding, a new sport that is gaining popularity, hasn’t escaped and paragliders now have to pay Sh1,000

Mining rates have been raised to Sh2.5 million up from Sh1.2 million.

Water reservoirs for commercial supplies now attract Sh300, 000.

Kisii County

JAMES ONGWAE

Use of Moi Stadium for political rallies and prayer meetings attracts Sh30,000 and Sh15,000 per day. Kiosk operators should pay Sh3,000 before operating.

Embu County

MARTIN WAMBORA

Agro-veterinary shop owners will have to pay Sh40, 000 annually where they used to pay Sh6, 000.

Those with timber yards will be expected to fork out Sh100, 000 per year as single business permit fee to operate in Embu town.

Traditional beer sellers will have to pay a permit fee of Sh10, 000 per annum.

Jua Kali artisans will have to pay Sh5, 000 each year to practice their crafts.

Miraa has also attracted attention from the devolved government and traders will pay Sh25 per bundle.

Basic hygiene products like soapstones for scrapping feet will attract Sh15 levy.

Hawkers selling samosa or mandazi have not been spared as they will have to pay Sh15 per a debe of the delicacy.

Siaya County

CORNEL RASANGA

Taxes have been introduced on off-street parking in the Central Business District and the outskirts where saloon cars will be charged Sh200 while lorries will be Sh700 up from Sh300.

For illegal signs, removal charges will be Sh6,000 once while storage per day will be doubled from Sh500 to Sh1,000.

West Pokot County

SIMON KACHAPIN

A burial permit costs Sh100 for adults and Sh50 for children.

Cemetery charges are Sh500.

Residents using public health facilities will pay Sh50 for drugs and Sh30 for registration.

 Murang’a County

MWANGI wa IRIA

Traders will pay Sh10 levy on a bale of hay and lucerne.

Churches and other organisations are expected to pay Sh20,000 every month for billboards. Butchers will pay Sh1,000 for selling bones. Stray animals will attract a fine of between Sh500 and Sh2,000.

Farmers have to part with Sh80 for every bag of macadamia or sunflower. A levy of 1 per cent of turnover will be charged on coffee, tea, pyrethrum and milk.

Nyandarua County

DANIEL WAITHAKA

A controversial move by the county government of Nyandarua is the suspension of licensing of scrap metal dealers. Traders have been protesting that the move was denying them a source of livelihood.

Machakos County

ALFRED MUTUA

Disposing waste in nondesignated areas will cost the culprit Sh10,000 in Machakos County.

And every time a miraa trader contemplates transiting through Machakos, they will have to put aside at least Sh10,000 for the county government. Traders will pay Sh5,000 for failure to clear and clean 10 metres of shop frontage

Obstruction by commercial vehicles per day at Mlolongo and Makutano is pegged at Sh10,000.

Urinating in un-designated areas is Sh500, littering Sh250, dumping Sh100, air pollution Sh10,000 and littering with cigarette butts Sh200.

MOMBASA COUNTY

Ali Hassan Joho

Advertising costs for billboards erected within the county have shot up from 10,000 to Sh100,000, with the annual application fee rising to Sh75,000 from Sh2,000.

The act will now see the county sell extracts of council minutes per extract, with each extract going for Sh1,000 from the current Sh300.

The county has revised the rates for county estates by more than 300 per cent with some estates rent rising by more than 400 per cent.

Hawking in the street, street verandahs and temporary buildings have shot from Sh7,500 to Sh42,500.

Kisumu County

JACK RANGUMA

The county has also raised the rent paid by its tenants. Businesses will pay up to 66 per cent more this year than they did last year for a license to operate within the county’s boundaries.

Monthly season stickers categories for between one and seven-seats vehicles cost Sh1, 800 up from Sh1, 200 and above 26 seats, from Sh7, 200 to Sh10, 800.

Minimum charges for residential housing has been doubled from Sh1,200 to Sh2,400.

Stalls at Oile and Jubilee markets will now be charged at Sh585 up from Sh450.