Higher charges for city traders
Traders in Nairobi will pay higher charges beginning Tuesday after the county government set different dates for the commencement of the Finance Act 2013.
All provisions of the Act will take effect on October 1 except those affecting land rates, housing and transport according to a gazette notice published on Thursday last week by County Executive for Finance and Economic Planning, Gregory Mwakanongo.
This will see businesses pay enhanced charges for operating licences and other levies.
Large supermarkets that occupy more than 5,001 square metres, for example, will have to part with Sh100,000 for a licence from the previous Sh60,000.
A licence for a small eating house will shoot up from Sh7,000 to Sh15,000.
City residents could also see higher food prices with the cess charged per unit of foodstuffs entering markets set to rise.
It will now cost a trader Sh100 up from Sh70 to bring an extended bag of cabbages into the city’s markets.
The fee for a large fish basket will rise from Sh300 to Sh400. This is in addition to extra charges for renting a stall.
Other businesses that will be affected include advertisers with charges for billboards, signboards, street pole, adverts in public service vehicles all set to rise.
Also affected will be those seeking approval of building plans and permits, patients at county-run hospitals and those using county solid waste management services among others.