Nairobi Governor, Mike Sonko, on Monday, declared plans to curb revenue loss and theft that has been a menace in his county.
The governor declared that he would emulate, Kakamega Governor, Wycliffe Oparanya, who sent 143 revenue staff on compulsory leave.
"Very soon we shall emulate what Governor Oparanya did. He fired 143 revenue officers in his finance department," declared Sonko.
The Governor warned that he would go after the finance department bosses and in the process engage KRA staff in revenue collection.
"We will also go for their bosses in the finance department. Plans are underway to engage KRA to be collecting revenue on our behalf," Sonko stated.
He also vowed to involve the National government to send National Youth Service (NYS) Officers for the same department.
Sonko declared, "We shall also engage the National Government to second us with NYS officers in revenue departments."
Since loss and theft of revenue happened during bank transactions, the Governor affirmed that receipts will be printed instantly.
"My administration is planning to integrate our system to be printing payment receipt and license instantly at the bank during payment because this is where the biggest revenue loss and theft happens," he maintained.
This comes after Oparanya's bold move to send his revenue officials on a 60-day compulsory leave.
The governor also announced measures targeting to plug a Ksh600 million shortfall in the county’s own revenue collection.
The governor then ordered county executives and chief officers to supervise revenue collection in the 13 sub-counties affected for the next one month and ensure set targets are met.
"You must ensure I’m briefed daily on how much has been collected in each of the sub-counties,” stated Oparanya.
The county chief directed that county executives and chief officers should join sub-county administrators in coordinating revenue collection, which had dropped to Ksh580 million.
The sub-county administrators and ward administrators were to take up the functions of the revenue clerks while the revenue staff were required to report to the County Public Service Board for redeployment upon their return.
Oparanya threatened to fire county executives and chief officers who failed to deliver.
