Traders challenged to pay revenue

Turkana, Tuesday, April 25, 2023

K.N.A By Peter Gitonga

Traders in Lodwar municipality have been challenged to pay revenue to the county government.

Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai urged car owners in Lodwar Municipality to be diligent in paying their parking charges as a means of boosting the county's own-source revenue. 

He assured residents that the fees set in the Finance Bill would be fair to business people in the Municipality.

"Other regions in Kenya are growing, and if you go to major cities and towns in the country, this is one of the ways to earn revenue. Our county faces many challenges, and we have to set charges that are fair to our people," he said.

The Governor made these remarks in Lodwar Town during the launch of 231 parking lots, cabros pavement, and walkways with adjoining drainage. 

The urban renewal strategy flagship projects include 131 streetlights installed in the Municipality.

The county boss declared a three-week grace period before the parking charges come into effect.

He also announced that following the establishment of Kakuma Municipality, the county would begin the development of the region. He added that Lokichar, Lokichoggio, Kalokol, and other major towns would be elevated soon.

The Governor sent a stern warning to loan sharks charging extremely high-interest rates, which he said was exploiting boda-boda operators who acquire motorcycles on hire purchase.

"Let us be fair, follow the law, and respect other citizens of Kenya. We will sit down with the County Commissioner and the Ministry of Trade to look into these rogue businesses. You will have to lower the interest rates or we ask you to shut down your business," he said.

Governor Lomorukai advised the Chairman of the Association of boda-boda operators to organize his members into registered SACCOs to take advantage of loan opportunities available.

He stated that the County Government was in advanced plans to establish land registration in municipalities.

The Governor also announced that the County Treasury had paid over Sh1 billion of eligible pending bills and assured that the process would continue without favouritism.

County Executive for Lands, Housing and Urban Areas Management Peter Akono said the Ministry was committed to supporting the Municipality Board in delivering its mandate and initiating development across the region.

He assured residents that the Ministry was working on land registration in Lodwar to issue title deeds to regularize land ownership.

Lodwar Township MCA Ruth Kuya urged residents of the Municipality to be diligent in the payment of revenue to increase resources available for development.

Her Kanamkemer counterpart, James Ikeny, asked the Kenya Highways Authority to set up safety measures along the new A1 road to reduce accidents.

The ceremony was attended by a host of MCAs led by the Leader of the Minority, Samuel Lomodo, who commended the Governor for awarding Kakuma a municipality charter and insisted that the move would spur development in the region.

The MCAs included Majority Whip Samal Etubon and Chairman of the Lands Physical Planning and Urban Areas Management Committee, Patrick Losuru, who asked the Governor to transfer more functions for the Municipality to manage, including revenue collection and the management of markets.

Courtesy K.N.A