The High Court in Homa Bay has temporarily suspended revenue collection until a case filed by a resident, challenging the introduction of a cashless system, is heard and determined.
In the suit, Evans Oloo, a trader, accuses Governor Gladys Wanga's administration of failing to conduct public participation before rolling out the digital revenue collection system.
He has listed the county government, County Secretary Prof Bernard Muok and Safaricom Limited as the first, second and third respondents.
The county government introduced the cashless system to boost revenue collection and to prevent pilferage of funds. This came after former Laikipia Governor Nderitu Murithi was hired to offer technical advice on how the county could boost revenue collection.
Tuesday, February 14, however, High Court judge Kiarie Waweru ordered the county government to stop collecting revenue until the case is concluded. He also certified the matter urgent.
"An interim order is hereby granted prohibiting the respondents either by themselves, agents, servants or employees from collecting revenue and demanding levies, tax, charges or business permits payments to be paid via third respondents paybill number by residents of Homa Bay particularly traders until this application is heard and concluded," the order read in part.
Hearing of the case begins on March 23.
The county government recently established a revenue collection board with the aim of boosting revenue collection.
The board members were sworn into office last week. They include ODM leader Raila Odinga's sister Akinyi Wenwa, chairman Dr Konyango Otieno, members Patrobas Owiti, Alloice Rodi, Hilda Onyango, Erick Okongo and Calvince Oguma.
Meanwhile, the county has resorted to paying salaries using cheques in efforts to weed out ghost workers.
The 2,193 employees started visiting the county headquarters on Monday to collect cheques for their January pay.
A manual payroll register is being used to make the payments.
County Secretary Bernard Muok had issued a memo informing the county workers that they would need to appear in person to collect their pay, which would be paid through cheques, as opposed to the money being deposited into their bank accounts.
Prof Muok said the issuance of the cheques would boost the ongoing audit of human resources by the county administration.
The employees were expected to present themselves at the governor's office on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday to collect the cheques.
They are to appear with their national identity cards, appointment letters, letter of deployment and a letter of arrival to work station.
"The staff are required to present themselves physically at the offices. Their January 2023 salaries will be paid by way of cheques," Prof Muok said in his memo.
The county government will mark uncollected cheques as those belonging to ghost workers.
It is expected that by the workers appearing in person the human resource department will be able to know the employees who exist and those who only exist on paper.
"All county staff in the categories mentioned should cooperate in the audit process," Muok said.
Those with questions about the process were told to contact the county secretary directly or through their immediate supervisors.
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