Garissa county to automate revenue collection

The new automated system will help solve the issues of dishonesty and saving revenues lost during the traditional method of collection. ( Courtersy)

GARISSA—Garissa County will be collecting revenues automatically in a new move to curb the rampant draining off of funds by clerks starting June this year.

Speaking to the press from his office Friday, the County Director of Revenue Mohamed Ali said that the new system will help solve the issues of dishonesty and save revenue lost during the traditional method of collection.

“In the past, we have had challenges of accountability where revenue collected was being diverted by individuals for personal gains,” said Ali.

According to the County Director of Revenue, the current revenue clerks will be equipped with new technological skills that will enable them to enhance their service delivery in revenue collection.

He said the department of revenue is looking to collect at least a quarter a million shillings by the end of the third quarter of this financial year.

“The highest amount the county has ever collected since 2013 is Sh130 million. The previous administration never met its revenue targets during the entire term due to these shortcomings,” he asserted.

Ali noted that after dealing with the contentious issue of ghost workers among the county’s civil servants, the county government now has to put in place measures to deal with the challenge of saving revenue collected in the county.

“Our biggest headache has been the failure by the department to meet its target. We will not allow this to continue. We shall strive to seal all loopholes used by our clerks in collusion with rogue clients who want to evade paying county dues,” the county director added.

He said the department was looking to generate revenue from business premises, plot rents, parking fees, livestock auction among others and that plans were underway to start issuing business permits which would be concluded by March.

Governor Ali Bunow Korane November last year expressed disappointment at the department saying the revenue it raised ‘cannot pay its own staff’.