County misses revenue target again by Sh155m

Busia G0overnor Sospeter Ojaamong. [File, Standard]

The county has missed its revenue collection target by Sh155 million, a report for the 2018/19 Financial Year has shown.

County Director of Revenue Charles Andima said in the report that only Sh298 million was collected against the targeted Sh453m. Some of the main revenue streams continued to draw low taxes.

Up to Sh19 million was gained as trailer parking fee against a Sh126 million target and Sh438,500 from the 14 tractors that were hired by local farmers to help with ploughing.

Mr Andima attributed the low revenues to various challenges, including inadequate funding and political interference.

Former Mayor of Busia Municipality Francis Mukamani said the county government should not have an excuse of collecting low revenues.

“During our time we did not have big hotels, petrol stations, fire engines, water bowsers and many more revenue generating streams, but we used to meet our targets,” said Mr Mukamani.

He said corruption was the main contributor to low revenues and urged Governor Sospeter Ojaamong to be firm and root out corrupt individuals in the revenue department.

“The county is capable of raising Sh1 billion revenue in one financial year because there are many revenue streams, but that can only happen if corruption is dealt with firmly,” said Mukamani.

The continued collection of low taxes has caught the attention of ward reps. The Chairman of Agriculture Committee Joab Oteba (Angurai East) attributed the low revenues to corruption and laziness of staff in the revenue department.

David Kokonya (Malaba South) said: "The results we have received from the director of revenues show there is a problem, and investigation must be carried out to determine why the county is missing its targets every financial year.”