Members of the Kitui County Assembly, led by the Finance and Economic Planning Committee, hosted a virtual public engagement session today to gather community feedback on the proposed Kitui County Finance Bill, 2024.
Chaired by Hon. Munyoki Mwinzi (Kyuso), the Committee Chairperson, the session offered a platform for residents to express their views on the bill and appeal for thoughtful consideration of their concerns in the final committee report.
This digital forum allowed individuals who missed the recent in-person public participation sessions held across Kitui’s eight sub-counties to voice their opinions on the proposed Finance Bill.
Derrick Ngenzi, a resident of Mulango Ward, suggested reducing the ICU patient deposit fee from Ksh. 50,000 to Ksh. 30,000 and lowering daily bed charges from Ksh. 2,500 to Ksh. 1,000. He also recommended scrapping the Ksh. 20 daily fee for handcart parking and reducing the adult entry fee for Miss Tourism from Ksh. 200 to Ksh. 100 to encourage attendance.
Jackson Muthusi from Kyangwithya West Ward proposed waiving the entrance fee for Kalundu Eco Park to make it accessible for all. Participants also urged the County Assembly to push for full automation of revenue collection to reduce leakage and improve Kitui’s own-source revenue.
Speaker Hon. Kevin Kinengo Katisya, who joined the session, expressed gratitude to residents for engaging in the consultation. He reassured them that the County Assembly remains committed to incorporating public input in key county matters. “We will continue to engage you through such forums because your input matters greatly to us,” Hon. Speaker Kinengo stated.
Committee Chairperson Hon. Munyoki Mwinzi echoed this sentiment, assuring residents that the Committee would integrate their feedback into the final report.
Participants expressed appreciation to the County Assembly, led by Speaker Kinengo, for providing a digital platform that allows inclusive participation in county affairs.
The Kitui County Finance Bill, 2024, outlines proposed rates of taxes, fees, and charges across various sectors, including land, businesses, markets, healthcare, parking, heritage sites, entertainment, and mining, aiming to streamline county revenue collection while addressing community concerns.
