Kakamega county government is set to collect Sh2.2billion revenue during the 2023/2024 financial year to substitute funds received from the National Government.
The county managed to collect Sh1.3billion revenue during the 2022/2023 financial year a shortfall of the targeted Sh2.2billion.
To realise the revenue target, the county government has introduced some other charges and increased fees in some sectors in the Kakamega County Finance Bill 2023 that has been subjected to public participation.
Area residents who spoke during the public participation raised concerns over the increase of brickmaking license fees from a paltry Sh1000 per individual or group to Sh10 000 annually arguing that the charges were too high bearing in mind the current economic challenges and the fact that others made bricks for own use and not for commercial purposes.
Other charges residents want reduced are on weddings where the county government has proposed an increase of charges of wedding per day from Sh5,000 in urban areas and Sh50,000 in municipalities to Sh20,000 in urban areas and Sh50,000 in municipalities.
The County government has also introduced new charges on large agricultural producers with between 51-60 employees who would have to pay Sh80,000 if based in rural areas, Sh100,000 in urban areas and Sh120,000 if based in municipalities.
In the finance Bill, large restaurants with bars and a membership club of over 30 members will pay a flat rate of Sh100,000 in both rural, urban and municipalities up from Sh12,000 in rural areas, Sh15,000 in urban areas and Sh25,000 in municipalities.
Residents have raised concern over the increase of fees on telecommunication masts and Kenya Power Sub stations noting that the increase would affect rural electrification programmes.
In the finance Bill, the county government has proposed an increase of charges for Kenya power substations from Sh14 000 in rural areas, Sh16 000 in urban areas and Sh20 000 in municipalities to a flat rate of Sh100 000 per annum.
Telecommunication companies with telecommunication masts will have to pay Sh100,000 per annum up from Sh15,000.
Kakamega County Chair of hoteliers Reverent William Owuya urged the county government to always benchmark and compare fees charged in other counties before proposing changes.
He said business people at the border of the county may decide to do business in neighbouring counties if the fees charged in their mother counties were too high leading to loss of revenue.
Nickson Orari from Navakholo said that the charges increased in brickmaking were on the extreme end.
By Moses Wekesa
