The Murang’a County Government will in a few weeks fully implement automation of revenue collection in all sectors, Governor Irungu Kang’ata has said.
Kang’ata observed that after piloting automation collection of levies, it has proved that the new method was successful and will assist the county administration to hit its revenue target.
From the beginning of October, the county government kicked off collection of revenue through digital methods at parking bays within Murang’a town, the county referral hospital, Mukuyu and Maragua markets and at quarries.
Kang’ata when he was addressing residents during Mashujaa Day celebration lauded the automation of the process saying it has enabled doubling of the revenue from various sources.
At Murang’a County referral hospital, the governor divulged the revenue increased from Sh70, 000 to more than Sh150, 000 per day.
“Initially we were collecting Sh35, 000 from parking within Murang’a town but now the amount has gone to more than Sh70, 000 in a day.
“Revenue collected in quarries within the Kandundu area near Murang’a town has shot to Sh50, 000 on daily basis from Sh20, 000. This proves the automation of the process of collecting revenue has sealed loopholes which denied the county administration a chance to reach its target,” explained Kang’ata.
In the previous county regime, revenue collection was done manually where in a month about Sh. 50 million was collected.
“Digitizing revenue collection was a prudent way as the method sealed all loopholes in the process. Our target is to raise more than Sh. 200 million in a month,” stated the governor.
Increased revenue, Kang’ata said will enable his administration to provide better services to the residents of Murang’a saying he is expecting the county assembly to approve supplementary budget to cater for some projects he promised in his manifesto.
“We have launched Uji programme to all ECDE centres in the county. The piloting is done in six wards and we expect to fully roll out the programme in the whole county by January next year after the assembly passes the supplementary budget,” he added.
Kang’ata further requested the MCAs to pass a policy which will allow the county government to register the poor with NHIF saying patients from poor backgrounds suffer as they seek medical care.
“Once the law is passed, funds will be set up to enable us in the first phase to register more than 30, 000 residents from poor families with NHIF. This will help our people to access cheap medication from our hospitals,” he noted.
By Bernard Munyao
