County eyes Sh1.2bn with revenue automation

Governor Mutahi Kahiga has launched Nyeripay, a digital payment platform, meant to automate revenue collection.

The county seeks to raise Sh1.2 billion this financial year.

Nyeripay will offer a cashless alternative replacing manual systems that are susceptible to leakages that have resulted in unmet revenue targets. “NyeriPay offers real time management reports and citizens can go to their portal, log in and confirm the status of their payments as a well as their account history,” he said during the launch in Nyeri town on Friday.

Narc-Kenya leader Martha Karua who attended the event lauded the move.

E-PAYMENT

Mr Kahiga revealed that his administration discontinued a company that had been contracted to run the e-payment platform after they realised some discrepancies in revenue collection.

According to the county boss cashless less system will enhance accountability in revenue collection and minimise cases of corruption by sealing revenue leakages that costs the county millions of shillings every year.

The county collected Sh760 million in the last financial year to record the highest revenue since the onset of devolution.

According to the fourth quarter budget implementation report for the 2017/2018, the county managed to increase its revenue collection by Sh111 million from the Sh643 million collected in the financial year 2016/ 2017.

Finance and Economic Planning Executive Robert Thuo revealed that the county will install CCTV cameras to improve surveillance in various cess points across the county.

Assembly Speaker John Kaguchia noted that the system will go a long in helping the county expand their revenue streams and bridge the financial deficit in the county budget.

The system which went live on Friday supports multiple payment channels including mobile money transfers, bank deposits and debit cards.

It enables matatu owners to pay parking fees, vendors to remit market fees, business owners to pay permit fees, estate tenants to pay rent and landowners to make land rate payments.

For street parking, motorists have an option of paying using any of the mobile money transfer services and will receive a message confirming receipt of the payment.

They will not require a receipt issued by the county revenue officers. During their ro8unds, the officers will scan the registration number of the vehicle to confirm whether payment has been made or not.

If the owner of the vehicle has not paid, the system will indicate and the officer will be required to wait for five minutes before penalising the motorist.

Business owners welcome the move noting that guests visiting the county were walking out of hotels to find the vehicles clamped vehicles.

“The process of paying parking has been easy and those visiting Nyeri can make payments from the comfort of their hotels.

The e-payment system is accessible online through point of sale (PoS) terminal devices and physical agents.