The placard-waving businesspeople marched through various streets chanting slogans against the county government for increasing the levies, which they said would render many of them jobless.
However, attempts to seek audience with Governor James Ongwae over the matter failed after the county enforcement officers locked the entrance to the county headquarters.
The traders however went on with their protest.According to Mrs Irene Bosibori, a trader who owns a small stall dealing in electronics, the levies have increased more than two-fold over the last one year.
She appealed to the county government to reconsider lowering them.
“For instance, in the 2013/2014 financial year, I paid Sh4,900 for a single business permit for my shop.
“However, this financial year, I received an invoice of Sh10,000, a figure I find unrealistic and exorbitant,” she says.
The trader claimed they were also being harassed by county enforcement officers on a daily basis.
“It has become very expensive to do business in this town with the high rates the county government is charging,” she said.
“How does the county government expect us to get profit and feed our families if they charge us even more than we make?” she asked.
Mr Nickson Nyakweba, another trader who runs an M-PESA shop also raised similar concerns.
“These are efforts by the county government to swindle businessmen of their money.
We will not accept this and we will fight to the bitter end to ensure that the rates are revised to acceptable standards,” he said.
We will not accept this and we will fight to the bitter end to ensure that the rates are revised to acceptable standards,” he said.
Edward Obwocha, a businessman in town said: “The county government is looking for all ways to mint money out of us.
“The business community will not feel ready to work with this government in public partnership programmes if the county is treating us as if our views don’t matter.”
He further added that in as much as the county government was collecting taxes, the output was not visible at grass root level.
“We can only see devolution in Kisii Town while everyone all over the county is subject to this tax regime yet nothing has been done in the villages.
“We are wondering why the county wants to charge us more and we cannot see what our money is doing,” he said.
Photo credit: Benson Momanyi
Photo credit: Benson Momanyi
