Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 955168,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/955168/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 17,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Khaniri",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 171,
        "legal_name": "George Munyasa Khaniri",
        "slug": "george-khaniri"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, Article 209(3) of the Constitution gives counties the power to collect revenue through property taxes, entertainment taxes, and any other taxes as authorized by Parliament. Further, Article 207(1) also dictates that all counties should establish a County Revenue Fund, where all revenue collected by the county governments should be deposited. The reasoning and advantage of OSR is that, in addition to encouraging financial independence of counties, it will provide more resources for development. I believe that after six years of devolution, there are many lessons that counties have learnt, which are crucial in improving revenue collection. There have been a number of proposals such as enlisting the services of the Kenya Revenue Authority to collect these levies, fees and taxes on behalf of counties, automation of the whole revenue collection process, outsourcing and enacting enabling legislations and policies in the counties. It should not be forgotten that the tax burden on citizens is generally heavy across the board, hence counties need to be innovative in their revenue raising schemes. We are all alive to allegations of double taxation on the common mwananchi, while the wealthy go scot-free. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Senate, as the protector of devolution, has a role to play in interrogating this state of affairs and propose solutions. Some of the proposals that I believe the Senate can constructively engage the counties on with regard to increasing revenue collection, is transparency and fidelity to the Constitution on the matter of own- source revenue collection. Most counties collect revenue, but the money is never deposited in the County Revenue Fund as espoused in the Constitution. What this means, therefore, is that, the money collected is either banked in other accounts or never deposited in the county, and hence, not protected. It is pilfered by county staff. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, counties should also undertake public participation on the issue of revenue collection. Public goodwill is important because most people evade"
}