Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has directed the County Attorney’s Office to investigate a legal framework for establishing the Mombasa County Ward Development Fund.
Speaking at the official opening of Mombasa County’s third assembly, Nassir stated that he is working to find an appropriate way to make the fund a reality for the people, as devolution was intended to bring development to the lowest administrative unit, the ward.
“This noble intention has been scuttled by court action all the way to the Supreme Court. However, we will not be deterred and I want to assure this honorable house that we will find a way out of this challenge,” said Nassir.
The governor also stated that one of the key pillars of his five-year plan is to establish good governance in the county, and he asked the MCAs to kindly consider a series of bills that he intends to present to the assembly for discussion.
Nassir stated that he will present the Mombasa County Revenue Service Bill in order to establish good governance and sustainably improve the financial performance of the Mombasa County government.
He stated that the bill, once passed, will establish a framework for revenue mobilization, collection, and receipt in order to ensure transparency, effectiveness, and efficiency in the revenue collection system, increase county revenue, optimize existing revenue streams, and identify new revenue streams.
“Kenyans are already struggling under the burden of heavy taxation. Our intention is to widen the tax base by making it easier and more affordable for more residents to comply than by adding heavier burdens to those already complying,” he said.
He added that the Mombasa Revenue Service should be established as a county institution because the government is choking under the weight of a bloated wage bill that has made development nearly impossible.
In order to eradicate poverty and create more jobs in the county, the governor stated that he will present the Finance Bill 2022/2023 to the county assembly for approval.
He stated that the bill will completely transform the county’s business environment and tax regime.
“We will become the most business-friendly county and start-ups will flock to us because of our new proposed policies to zone levies in Mombasa,” he said.
He also stated that they will reduce the cost of licensing for tuk tuks and public service vehicles and begin making the process digital, transparent, and free of human interaction, which could lead to corrupt practices.
According to Nassir, the Mombasa County Sectional Properties Bill will aid in the control, management, and administration of common property, as well as the enforcement of county laws, leases, or licenses under which the land is held.
The governor stated that the County Transport Bill will encourage the use of non-motorized transportation within the county, reduce air pollution, and control congestion in some areas of Mombasa.
To address the growing challenges in the operation of the county’s level five hospital, the governor announced that he will present the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital Corporation Bill to the assembly for approval.
“The purpose of this Act once passed shall be to mobilize resources for smooth operations at the hospital, to facilitate better access to financial resources and to make the hospital more responsive to medical and public health emergencies,” added Nassir.
The county Assembly speaker, Ahrub Khatr, stated that because the house’s role is to oversee and make county by-laws, he will forward the notes on the proposed bill to the MCAs for discussion.
Mombasa deputy governor Francis Thoya, Senator Mohammed Faki, Jomvu Member of Parliament Badi Twalib, and his Kisauni counterpart Rashid Bedzimba were also present.
