Nairobi extends working hours over e-payment traffic

The Nairobi County Governor Dr. Evans Kidero, (left) and his deputy Jonathan Mueke during the launch of e-payment last year.

KENYA: Nairobi County has resolved to extend its cash office working hours in order to accommodate more traffic in the e-payment platform.

In a statement, the City County Acting Chief Treasurer Maurice Okere noted of that of late the county's cash office has been overwhelmed due to long queues with residents complaining.

"In the last couple of days we have been experiencing long queues from clients streaming in from as early as 6.30am. It is only right that we ensure the early birds are taken care off so that they can go about their business," read the statement.

Okere said from today until the end of the month the county cash office will be operating from 7am to 7pm instead of 8am to 5pm: "Most of the residents usually come for normal services seeking to pay Single Business permits, land rates, parking fees market fees and house rent."

Okere said afterwards the county will deliberate if there will be need to extend the opening hours in February.

In September 2015, Nairobi governors Dr Evans unveiled a three month long waiver campaign which was meant to increase the County's revenue.

At the time the governor singled out various parastatals and private companies as some of the biggest defaulters to the Nairobi City County Government amounting to Sh 158 billion.

This included the government with a Sh3.4 billion, with parastatals in particular which owed the county Sh1.2 billion.

Residential and commercial buildings owners owed the county Sh146 billion, while land owning companies owed Sh7.2 billion bringing the total amount to Sh158 billion.

Despite adopting e–payment system for county services in 2014, many residents do not seem to take full advantage of it waiting for waivers before rushing to pay.

In August 2015, the county revealed that the e-platform had risen their revenue collection by 30 percent amounting to Sh4.5 billion.