Monday, February 19, 2024 - Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has ordered the immediate payment of one-year licenses for mama mbogas and other small-scale businesses operating within Nairobi, or else they will not be allowed to operate.
In a statement, the Governor noted that starting this week,
Nairobi County Executives would hit the ground in intensified revenue
collection.
As such, all cess payments for businesses that operate
long-term were ordered to be transitioned to Unified Business Permits with
immediate effect.
“Any business that runs consistently at one spot for over
six months will be required to acquire a Unified Business Permit (UBP) including
in markets and also those allowed to operate on road reserves,” Sakaja
directed.
Justifying the move, Sakaja remarked that the UBP was
cheaper in the long term compared to the daily cess.
Additionally, he added that most of the time, the daily cess
payments are not received at county headquarters leaving the small
businesses to daily harassment from Kanjos.
“We must quickly embrace technology because it has the
potential to increase revenue collection, monitor compliance, and facilitate
compliance,” the governor directed.
The decision to switch to UBPs for small businesses was
arrived at during a revenue mobilisation meeting chaired by Sakaja and attended
by County Executives, Chief Officers, and Directors in charge of Revenue
Collection and Sub County Administration.
With the move, Sakaja foresees Nairobi County setting a
record in revenue collected since the inception of devolution.
Sakaja remarked that the small business switching to UBP,
would seal leakages and enhance efficiency on top of increasing revenue
targets.
UBP was introduced on January 1, to end the issuance of
multiple business licenses.
“The UBP combines the business, fire, food, health, and
advertising licenses into one,” Sakaja stated then.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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