County Revenue collectors from across the country will be converging in Nairobi next week for a conference on strategies to boost their own source revenue in the counties. The conference to be convened by Ecocap Capital comes when counties are faced with frequent delays in the release of equitable share by the National Treasury.
The convener of the conference Mr Murungi Ndai, the two days conference will bring together the representatives from the counties, Controller of Budget, County Assemblies Forum, and civil societies for the deliberation on the enhanced collection of own source revenue to support development programmes.
Murungi, a financial expert and a former Laikipia County Government Finance CEC, says the deliberations will be centred on the own source revenue as the alternative ways of financing development in the face of the exchequer. “Countries must seek innovative ways to finance service delivery in agriculture, health, water, early childhood education, among other critical devolved functions, “says Mr Murungi.
Among key Speakers are Governors’ Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay) and Irungu Kang’ata (Murang’a) and the Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o. The counties of Homa Bay and Murang’a have achieved a billion-shilling mark in local collections from a low of Sh 150 million and Shs 528 million respectively.
Wanga and Kang’ata, Murungi added, will share the strategies they have employed in the revenue collection mobilisation. Kang’ata has emphasised on automation of payment points that sealed the loopholes of diversion of resources.
Health facilities in Murang’a in the year 2023/2024 generated Sh360 up from Sh240 in 2022/2023.
Other speakers are Governors Mutula Kilonzo Jr Makueni), Wilber Otichillo (Vihiga) and Amos Nyaribo (Nyamira), former Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi, and ex-senator Lenny Kivuti.