AUTOMATED REVENUE COLLECTION INITIATIVE UNSTOPPABLE

Web Administrator August 14, 2019August 14, 2019

H.E. Governor Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya’s cashless revenue collection initiative is here to stay; anybody with a contrary opinion must give way.

The governor issued the statement today at Kakamega Golf Hotel during a forum he convened to receive feedback from CECMs, Chief Officers and Sub County Administrators on the progress and challenges facing the new system of revenue collection in the field in the wake of his recent decision to send all revenue personnel on 60 days compulsory leave.

The senior staff who are now coordinating the exercise in Sub Counties have reported a sharp increase in collections, sometimes as much as three to four times the amount collected before the governor’s administrative intervention, confirming long held fears that the County revenue collection system was a gravy train for rogue public officials.

The County boss urged the top officials to immediately map out all revenue streams and ensure that all due revenue is captured and collected.

“There is no going back on this process,” he declared adding that his main preoccupation now is to find solutions to technical and operational challenges in the field.

“We need to find a way to implement a water tight process on short, medium and long term. Anybody who stands in my way shoud leave me alone,” he said.

The executive team consisting of the deputy governor H. E. Prof. Philip Museve Kutima, CECs, Chief Officers, the County Attorney Moses Sande, County Secretary and Head of Public Service, Madam Jacinta Aluoch Odhiambo, deputy CS Mr. Joshua Kutekha, Chief of Staff, Robert Sumbi and Advisors brought out several challenges including lack of classification of markets, poor mobile (4G) network coverage and delay in delivery of POS equipment by the supplier.

The governor has now directed the team to stay away from their offices until 15th September when they will submit a comprehensive report on their revenue collection efforts in the field. Before then they will be meeting him once a week for updates.They will also be sending the revenue data to H.E. the governor daily via their hand sets.