Governor Orengo promises to address Usenge traders’ grievances

Bondo, Monday, May 15, 2023  

KNA by Anita Georgeous

Traders at Usenge Market in Siaya County will no longer pay taxes as per Siaya County town rates but will be charged taxes in line with the market centre rates.

The declaration was made by Siaya Governor James Orengo, who said that Usenge is not yet gazetted as a town and therefore the traders will be levied tax for a market centre.

Speaking in Usenge town during a meeting with the traders, Orengo said that traders will henceforth pay taxes through mobile money transfer platforms to avoid losing revenue to unscrupulous county revenue officers.

The governor revealed that the traders will receive short Sms codes to remind them of payments but in case of failure to respond to three reminders, a revenue collection officer will be sent to physically collect the taxes from the traders.

Mr Orengo on the other hand waived the penalty mposed on the traders who from last week declined to pay taxes to the county government because of poor state of the market, high taxation rates and alleged harassment by county revenue collection officers.

He committed to improve the state of the market by installing floodlights, upgrading the drainage system and constructing permanent latrines at the beaches.

The county boss who was accompanied by Lands CEC Maurice Mak’Orege, Finance CEC Benedict Omollo and Trade CEC Jackline Otieno disclosed that the county government has set aside Sh2 million for the improvement of roads to the area to make beaches accessible.

Ms Otieno, the Trade CEC advised the traders to embrace gender parity while electing their market leaders to office to ensure the challenges faced by female traders are effectively addressed.

Her sentiments come after a female trader in the market was attacked by a male colleague over a dispute about money and the matter has remained unsettled.

Courtesy; K.N.A