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Why Sonko wants to collect Sh100 per month from slum dwellers

By JOHN MUTUA October 25th, 2018 2 min read

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko plans to charge slum dwellers Sh100 per month for garbage collection in his latest plan to raise revenue for various services.

The introduction of the new fine is part of proposed charges, through which the county expects to plug a Sh7 billion budget deficit.

Those in estates will part with Sh300 while the upmarket homes will pay Sh500. Currently garbage collection firms charge between Sh150 to Sh200 per month.

The proposals are contained in the Nairobi City County Finance Bill, 2018 which was tabled in the County Assembly on Tuesday.

PARKING FEES

The proposals will also see parking fees go up by 33 percent to Sh400 from the current Sh300 per day.

Advertisers will pay Sh3 million in fines for putting up a billboards on road reserves within the capital city. This is a new charge.

Advertising d firms will be fined Sh100,000 to bring down billboards, sky and light-emitting diode (LED) signs erected without payment.

City Hall will also fine advertisers Sh6,000 to remove every light box put on street poles before the county receives its dues. Firms currently pay Sh1.3 million for each large billboard and between Sh20,000 and Sh50,000 for the small ones in annual levies.

The House committee on Budget and Appropriations has, however, vowed to reject the proposals.

‘OVERTAXED’

“We will not accept the proposals when they come before the House. As a Committee our first role is to represent members of the public. We have to balance (concerns) to ensure they are not overtaxed,” committee chair Robert Mbatia said.

City residents have until end of business Friday to present their views on the new taxation measures that have will also hit other sectors hard.

The governor is banking on the proposed charges to boost revenue collection, which has fallen since he took over in August last year.

City Hall data shows revenue collection fell by Sh1 billion in the first 10 months under Mr Sonko, compared to a similar period during the Evans Kidero-led government.

Nairobi collected Sh8.8 billion in the period to June, a 10 percent fall from Sh9.8 billion generated in a similar period to June 2017.