Controller of Budget: Nairobi County tops in revenue collection

NAIROBI, KENYA: Nairobi has been crowned as the highest local revenue generator with a Sh9.62 billion collection in the last financial year.
Controller of Budget Agness Odhiambo, through the County Governments' Budget Implementation and Review report, said that in the first nine months of the 2015/2016 financial year, Nairobi County came out on top in terms of revenue collection across the country.
"During the period under review, the Nairobi City County collected the highest amount of local revenue at Sh9.62 billion, followed by Kiambu County," stated the report.
Kiambu County followed suit with a collection of Sh1.82 billion followed by Mombasa County with a collection of Sh1.58 billion.
The bottom three local revenue generators included Mandera Sh59.65 million, Lamu with Sh45 million and Tana River with a Sh18 million collection.
In contrast to the local annual revenue target, Laikipia County achieved the highest proportion at 78 percent followed by Homa Bay at 76 percent and Baringo County with 67.5 percent. Conversely, counties that recorded the lowest proportion of local revenue against annual targets were Isiolo County at 28 percent, Garissa at 15.6 percent and Tana River at 15 percent.
Nairobi Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Robert Mbatia said the top ranking was an indicator that the county was headed in the right direction and urged various executives to take advantage by implementing development projects.
He however faulted the finance department, saying that they were using money collected at source as opposed to depositing the funds in the County Revenue Fund.
"If they do not stop using money collected at source instead of depositing the same in the County revenue fund, we as PAC members will petition the Senate to stop approving the funds," said Mbatia.
Fire inspection certificates were recorded as the best performing as the County collected Sh143.7 million in fees in the first nine months. Land rates came in second at 78.5 per cent after collections of Sh2.7 billion against an estimated target of Sh3.4 billion. Regularization of buildings collected Sh102 million against an annual target of Sh150 million and single-business permits collected Sh1.6 billion against estimates of Sh2.87 billion.
Wakulima Market earned the county Sh87.7 million against a Sh165 million target, while Sh913 million came from building permits against a Sh1.8 billion estimate.
The capital earned Sh1.6 billion from parking fees against a Sh3.4 billion target, with billboards and advertisements collecting Sh557 million against an estimated Sh1.3 billion. Liquor licenses raked in Sh153 million against an estimated Sh650 million.