COUNTY EXECUTIVES DELIBERATE ON STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE OWN-SOURCE REVENUE

The County Executive, today convened to discuss ways of enhancing own-source revenue collection under the Rapid Results Initiative (RRI). The forum brought together County Executive Committee Members (CECMs), chief officers, directors, and revenue officers; creating a platform for a comprehensive review of performance across departments.

Chief Revenue Administrator, Eng. Joseck Maloba, guided the team through an analysis of revenue trends, noting that collections fluctuated during the first half of the financial year before gaining steady momentum in January and February, largely driven by license renewals. He pointed out that while some revenue streams performed well, others underachieved due to operational gaps and external interference. In particular, certain units were flagged as being politicized, which has made enforcement difficult and hindered compliance with motorbike sticker collection being a notable example.

County Secretary and Head of Public Service, Dr. Lawrence Omuhaka, in his address, emphasized the importance of accountability, professionalism, and integrity in revenue administration. He stressed that enhanced revenue performance is critical for effective service delivery and called on officers to seal loopholes and work collaboratively across departments.

Quoting former U.S. President, Barack Obama, he noted that “it is important to combine structural reforms with good fiscal stewardship with a growth strategy, because when your economy is growing and more revenue is coming in, it helps in relieving debt.” He underscored the need to depoliticize revenue streams, strengthen enforcement, and embrace technology-driven solutions.

As part of the way forward, the County will prioritize automation of revenue systems, continuous monitoring of performance, and public sensitization to improve compliance. There will be deliberate efforts to strengthen enforcement of single business permits and property rates, as well as conduct targeted compliance campaigns in underperforming sub-counties.

Additionally, underperforming units will be reviewed and restructured where necessary, while successful revenue streams will be scaled up to ensure sustainable growth in county revenue collection. The RRI exercise will take effect for 90 days from April, May, and June, with all top county executives expected to return to their respective sub-counties to spearhead revenue collection efforts.