The Busia County Government enforcement officers have undergone a two-day workshop on the implementation of the County Trade Act 2017.
The workshop conducted by the department of Trade, Investment, Industry and Cooperatives at a hotel in Amagoro in Teso North Sub County was aimed at helping the officers understand the content of the Act and their responsibilities within the law.
Addressing the officers the County Trade Executive Judith Maketso said the purpose of the training was to create awareness among the officers in regards to the Act in order to avoid cases where enforcement officers are found handling duties meant for finance and trade officers.
She told the enforcement officers attached to the department to always identify themselves accordingly while on duty to avoid embarrassment.
Trade Chief Officer Nelson Kwamini said the department deemed it fit to train the officers so that the Act can be implemented successfully.
He said, “The purpose of this workshop is to train the enforcement officers to be able to work as per the guidelines of the act.
“The department of Trade cannot implement the Act without the support of the enforcement department, so let’s understand what the act is all about to help us realize its intended purpose.
The County Attorney, Justice Emeritus Anyara Emukule reminded the officers that the laws governing their operations are actual laws of the government of Kenya which are different from the by-laws that were used by city and town council askaris.
“A fundamental change in the Constitution 2010 authorizes county officers to work under the County Trade Act which is within the law,” he said.
He added that the Act requires them to facilitate and promote trade to enable the traders grow.
“But in an event that a rude or arrogant trader persistently denies the officers access to their premises, the law allows them to seek for the search warrant from the courts,” he stated.
Emukule disclosed that plans to create a county court to ensure that court charges for law breaking traders can generate revenue for the county government are at an advanced stage.
by Melechezedeck Ejakait
