JOHO: This is why Mombasa is dirty

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Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho./FILE

Nairobi, KENYA: Mombasa governor Ali Hassan Joho has said that county governments have no capacity to collect garbage.

Speaking at parliamentary buildings when he appeared before Senate committee on public accounts and investment chaired by Homa Bay senator Moses Kajwang concerning  the 2014/15 financial  year queries, Joho said that following the budget constraints at the county level , county governments will not be able to effectively collect the garbage indicating that  rendering such   a service is a pretty expensive affair.

He said that there is the need for the national government to chip in and formulate mechanism with county governments on how to deal with the matter.

The governor indicated that Mombasa county requires sh. 3 billion to effectively execute garbage collection,  a factor which is beyond their reach as they had only begun collecting that amount of revenue in 2017.

“In 2013 /14 as a county we collected revenue sh. 1.6 billion, 2014/15 sh. 2.4billion; 2015/16 sh. 2.9billion;2016/17shs  3.2 billion.we have made progress in this,”Joho said .

Joho alluded that his government has automated mode of payments whereby from the year 2017, they managed to collect sh. 3 billion up from sh. 1.6 billion, annually, since the 2013/14 financial year.

He further pointed out that his government has cooperated with President Uhuru Kenyatta in formulating ways on how the matter will be tackled concurrently with the national government.

On the other hand, Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina urged the governor to incorporate private sector and the public in garbage collection in a bid to assist in enhancing Job creation in the county, especially for the youths.

Land Rates

It also emerged that Mombasa county is owed 28 billion shillings touching on land rates from national government, companies and private sector, Joho complaining that it has been cumbersome in settling some of the money owed to the county especially from the national government.

“As we stand we have 28 billion we need thus money the majority is 70 percent is with the national government the other percentage is with landowners,”Joho said

The governor further said that there is the need for the city counties especially Mombasa, Nairobi Nakuru and Kisumu to be given conditional grants to propel delivery of services following the fact that it renders services to residents who come from neighboring counties not only to work but seek other services, especially in the health sector.

” We have an influx of people who come to work and earn a living from Mombasa who require essential services in the county of Mombasa.

” We should pick a conversation with the commission of revenue allocation, possibly even looking at the creation of conditional grant to serve specific purposes,”Joho added.

This comes just as the county is working on closing down the notorious Kibarani dumpsite.

 

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