Trans Nzoia County Government in conjunction with stakeholders from Safaricom , Kenya Commercial Bank and River Bank have launched a new digital system of tax collection that they claimed will help a lot curbing loses that have incurred in the past by tax collectors.
Speaking on behalf of Safaricom regional manager for Rift valley Tom Were noted that the new system where a resident is supposed to use his phone by pressing *818# will help in paying for services that the resident will seek ranging from car park, land rates, business permits, hospital bills as well as other services.
Were added that the system was cheap to operate as its system is used just the same way they use in paying for services using Mpesa system which he claimed would help a lot in reducing corruption cases that have taken toll in the county.
On his part, Trans Nzoia County Deputy Governor Dr. Sternly Kenei Tarus has claimed the county in the past has not been collecting enough monies needed for its development projects claiming there has been corruption in the county officers who were collecting tax.
The Deputy Governor claimed the county has the potential of collecting one billion Kenya shillings but a lot of cash has not been remitted in the county calling upon all the stakeholders in tax collection department to be vigilant in money collection.
Kenei said that the health sector has been notorious when it comes to tax collection as monies collected in the sector has not been reaching in the county administration calling upon Safaricom in collaboration with reinforcement officers within the county to work together in realization of taxes within the county.
He however called upon locals plan for development projects within the county and nation at large noting that the more they take an initiative of paying taxes promptly it will enable the government plan for developmental projects..
