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{
    "id": 399117,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/399117/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 231,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Billow",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 260,
        "legal_name": "Billow Adan Kerrow",
        "slug": "billow-kerrow"
    },
    "content": "Thank you very much for that correction. It is actually nine months and not six months. This is from 30th September, 2013 to 30th June, 2014. It is important for us, as the Senate, to be alive to that fact. County governments must collect revenue over and above what the local authorities used to collect. That is the expectation of the people of Kenya. County governments, with the resources, structures and the competence they have, should enhance revenue collection but not to reduce. One of the things I want to comment on is that we have seen counties coming up with their own Finance Bills and in the process, trying to set levies, rates and other charges that they are supposed to charge. We want to encourage county governments to be alive to the fact that as much as they want to collect revenue, they must appreciate that they have a responsibility or, indeed, it is in their interest to attract investors to their counties. If we charge revenue; it must be reasonable. We have seen and heard, in recent weeks, counties that charge revenues that are completely unacceptable in terms of the amounts of the rates themselves or the types of rates. We have heard of rates on dead bodies and revenues being charged for graves in large amounts. It is important for counties to appreciate that, one, they need revenue but they also need to attract businesses to their counties. So, it is important for counties to appreciate that they need the revenue but also to attract businesses to their counties. They need to attract investors and to be reasonable. They need to facilitate business and trade. We do not anticipate that county governments will come up with legislation that will hamper the growth of business. We are also aware that some counties are charging rates and levies that are punitive. For instance, you can be registered to do your business in Nairobi but for you to drive and to distribute your products in another county; you are charged levy or some fees. This is charged on the vehicles and it is happening. It is a pity. Businesses are being subjected to double taxation and to arbitrary charges and levies. This is a matter that is causing concern. The Committee on Finance, Commerce and Economic Affairs is looking at this thing critically with a view to come up with a Bill that will guide the county governments in this regard. I want to mention that counties are part of this country. A county government that is in this country is part of this country and not part of another country. So, when a business is registered in county “A” and is trying to do business in county “B”, it should not be viewed as if the business people are from another country. Counties tend to think selfishly about their own counties. They tend to say look, why is county “A” collecting the revenue and yet we are also interested in that revenue? That is a wrong concept. What is important to the county governments is that all the businesses will pay national taxes. They pay VAT, Income Tax and Customs Duty. These national taxes form part of the national revenue that is shared out equitably across the"
}