- The governor also warned county officials against misusing properties of the government.
- He said soon the county will start using alcoblow to drivers to ensure they do not drink and drive.
Image: ALPHONCE GARI
Kilifi government has surpassed Sh1.1 billion revenue collection target for the first time in a decade.
Governor Gideon Mung'aro said he has put in place raft of measures, which he believes will further boost revenue collection.
One of the key things the county plans on doing is establish a new court which will have its own magistrate to prosecute offenders going against the county government rules which will add more revenue.
The governor said they were given space by the Judiciary to build a county magistrate court.
He was speaking during the official unveiling and awarding of certificates and trophies to new transport county inspectorate officers who have graduated after undergoing vigorous training in Mombasa at his office.
Mung'aro said construction will begin next week and shall be ready in two months’ time to enable offenders to be prosecuted and fined, adding that the court will have a magistrate assigned to the county full time and all offenders shall face legal action.
“This week we managed to get instead of building a new court we were given space by the law courts, we will start construction this Monday in the next two months we will have our own court,” he said.
Mung’aro, who was accompanied by Roads executive Catherine Kenga, MPs Kenneth Kazungu (Ganze ) and Ken Chonga (Kilifi South), as well as other senior officials, said the county inspectorate will no longer have excuses.
He directed them not to charge offenders after two days but ensure once an offender is arrested at 9am he is charged after one hour.
He said it’s the county inspectorate team that will help the county get more revenue and cautioned them against putting the county cash collected in their hands.
From now on he said revenue collection will no longer be handled by volunteers or casuals, adding that the county shall employ everybody who is handling money.
“If you are a casual, we will make you permanent so that we have a force which is responsible we are not going to have volunteers and casuals doing financial matters because that means you will start paying yourself,” Mung'aro said.
The governor also warned county officials against misusing properties of the government, particularly drivers who go with county vehicles in bars and palm wine dens, saying they will be held responsible.
He said soon the county will start using alcoblow to drivers to ensure they do not drink and drive as there are reports others were going to bars and drinking dens using government vehicles.
Mung’aro said the county inspectorate shall also have a new set of uniforms for operation and leave the current one for ceremonial functions.
“You will have two uniforms. Those who are marshalling in the night we will make sure that you have reflectors not only on the jacket but the hands that direct cars,” he said.