It was reprieve for traders in Vihiga as the County government announced tax exemption for the next 30 days.
Area Governor Dr. Wilber Ottichilo made the tax exemption decree at Luanda market in Luanda Sub County where he presided over distribution of hand washing equipment to traders and boda boda operators on Tuesday.
“Traders in all markets across the county will no longer have to pay the routine daily taxes for the next 30 days with effect from today (Tuesday),” decreed Ottichilo, adding the same will be reviewed in relation to Covid-19 behaviour in the country.
The governor said the move was to help cushion local traders against current economic hardship occasioned by the outbreak of the novel Covid-19 that has since been classified as a global disaster by the World Health Organization (WHO).
While launching the hand washing equipment, Ottichilo urged local traders to strictly follow government directives on hygiene, which he emphasized were aimed at combating community spread of the deadly corona virus.
“We have instructed the County Security Team led under County Police Commander (CPC) Mr. Hassan Barua in conjunction County Government Enforcement officers to ensure that traders adhere to the directives, especially social distancing and hand washing as issued by the Ministry of Health,” he said.
The hand washing equipment, which included soap detergents and buckets, is an initiative of the Ottichilo Action Team (OAT) organization, to which the governor is Patron.
The county boss said the items will be distributed to groups of traders and all designated boda boda stages in the sub county.
He added: “The Ottichilo Action Team will ensure hand washing equipment are distributed in all markets and designated boda boda stages in the county in order to buttress the measures being put in place by the national and county governments in the war against Covid-19.”
The national government has already put in place a stringent of measures aimed at checking the spread of the contagious virus that is now a global phenomenon.
The total number of people who have tested positive for the Covid-19 stands at 158 according to figures released by the Ministry of Health and which were announced by the Head of State Uhuru Kenyatta Monday evening.
According to the official government statistics one of the affected persons originates from Vihiga County.
By Maurice Aluda
