GOVERNOR OPARANYA WARNS PUBLIC SERVANTS AGAINST “INTERNAL TRADING” & CORRUPTION.

H.E. Governor Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya has directed County staff to declare their interest whenever their kin wants to do business with the County government. The governor was addressing senior County executives at Golf Hotel during a forum on strategies to enhance own revenue collection following the recent government decision to send revenue collection staff on 60 days compulsory leave.

He said any employee who engages in business in the work place will be courting trouble including dismissal. “Such practices compromise image and quality besides making the government buy goods and services at inflated prices,” he said adding that the war on corruption is unstoppable and starts with the County staff.

He told the executives who included deputy governor, H.E Prof. Philip Museve Kutima, CEC Members, chief officers and the chairman of the Finance Committtee of the County Assembly, Hon. David Igunza and his committee members that there was need to identify new revenue streams as they take measures to seal leakages and sensitize the business community on their statutory obligations.

Presentations by CECMs and chief officers indicated a steady increase in revenue collection and highlighted operational challenges that the governor said required the intervention of the CEO of Kakamega Revenue Agency, madam Beatrice Memo.

Earlier, governor Oparanya addressed members of the media in his office and urged Kakamega citizens to return home in time for the census exercise. He said the exercise was key in determining resource allocation to the devolved units and for planning of development projects.

He said no one should resist the exercise as doing so would deny counties vital financial resources for development.

On the shareable revenue allocation stalemate, the governor said it is better for concerned authorities to release part of the funds to counties to avoid catastrophic consequences on the ground including lack of medicine in county hospitals and other vital services.

He expressed concern that some senior officials in the national government’s Treasury department were openly undermining devolution.

“Our survival lies in strengthening capacity to collect revenue at the local level,” he said.

The meeting at Golf hotel which was facilitated by the chief officer service delivery, Ambassador James Ochami was also attended by the County Attorney, Mr. Moses Sande, the County Secretary and Head of Public Service, madam Jacinta Aluoch Odhiambo, the deputy CS Mr. Joshua Kutekha, Advisors, the Chief of Staff Mr. Robert Sumbi, Sub county Administrators and heads of departments.