Mombasa embraces technology to curb revenue loopholes

Oct 25, 2023 - 19:02

Governor Abdulswamad Nassir displays the result of a scanned identification card that shows information of a Revenue Officer.(Photos and captions by Jimmy Mambo/KNA).

Mombasa,

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

KNA by Jimmy Mambo & Shamim Musa

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has announced a raft of new measures to enhance revenue collection with an aim to increase Own Source Revenue and curb leakages.

Governor Nassir says the revenue collection team will be issued with digital staff identification cards equipped with Quick Response (QR) code scanning capabilities enabling quick and efficient verification of essential information about the officers.

The digital identification cards, he adds, will play a pivotal role in edging out impersonators and fraudsters.

“When you scan this card, it will promptly provide you with comprehensive information about the individual, including their identity and associated details,” said Governor Nassir adding that the County Government will be able access the location of Revenue Officers.

The new innovative revenue collection approach is poised to enhance the integrity of the revenue collection process by eliminating both external and internal corruption.

“We are committed to ensuring that our revenue collection process is not only efficient but also transparent. We want to create a system that is fair to everyone, and this technology is a step in that direction,” said Nassir.

According to the Office of the Controller of Budget (OCOB) on the County government budget implementation report for the financial year 2022/23, Mombasa collected Sh4 billion as its Own Source Revenue (OSR).

“In FY 2022/23, the County generated a total of Sh4.0 billion from its own sources of revenue, which comprised of Sh2.76 billion from OSR and Sh1.24 billion from the health sector as Facility Improvement Fund,” reads the OCOB report.

The report adds that the amount represents an increase of 10.8 per cent compared to Sh3.61 billion realized in FY2021/22.

To support small-scale businesses and promote financial stability, the Governor waived all outstanding penalties incurred during the Covid-19 pandemic. The move aims to alleviate the financial burdens faced by small-scale traders and enable them to pay their current dues without the added pressure of accumulated penalties.

Courtesy; KNA