The Senate ICT committee has called for the adoption of one ICT system which all counties can use for increased collection of their own source revenue.
Elgeyo Marakwet senator William Kisang commended the county for partnering with Safaricom in the automation of its revenue system to support effective revenue collection.
The senator said there were three systems in Bungoma, Kwale, and the one in Elgeyo Marakwet which were working very well, saying they will seat and see which one can be adapted before looking for a donor who would connect all the 47 counties.
Speaking in Iten when the committee led by its Chairman, TransNzoia County Senator Allan Chesang, visited to check the status of the integrated financial system, Kisang said a digitized system would help in sealing all the leakages leading to increased revenue.
Senator Chesang said the government was set to address the problem of internet breakdown, which was one of the challenges facing the counties, through the use of electricity poles to distribute internet.
Senator Chesang called on the Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich, who is also the chair of ICT in the Council of Governors, to encourage his colleagues to automate their revenue collection systems.
On allocations, Elgeyo Marakwet senator said they would propose to the Commission on Revenue Allocation to first ensure that all counties are allocated sh6 billion each to ensure that no county gets less than sh6 billion.
Governor Rotich said he was optimistic that the county will have raised over Sh300 million by the end of the financial year.
He said this will ensure that all counties move at the same pace in terms of development, saying currently counties getting less than Sh6 billion feel marginalized, saying they cannot meet most of their obligations.
Other senators in the entourage were Kwale senator Juma Boy and nominated senator Beatrice Ogolla.
By Alice Wanjiru
