Small scale traders in Murang’a have expressed a myriad of reactions to the recently introduced digital revenue collection system.
A section of the traders at Mukuyu market said that they liked the earlier payment method where they paid their daily fees in cash and were issued with receipts saying the new system costs them extra as paying via mobile money had additional transaction charges.
Speaking to KNA, the traders lamented that the new method of payment introduced by the county government is challenging to use in addition to costing them huge transaction fees.
Ndung’u Maina who is a trader in Mukuyu market, stated that he is experiencing a lot of hardship when making his payments simply because he is old and illiterate.
“I am aged and I did not get my education due to unavoidable circumstances so I do not have skills on how to operate my mobile phone to make the payments,” he said.
Nancy Muchiri also echoed Maina’s sentiments saying that the new payment method is unfavorable as she is forced to incur extra charges every time she makes the payments.
Muchiri explained that the charges are Sh. 20 on normal days and Sh. 200 on market days.
“I struggle daily to pay the charges and now to add on that the new payment process deducts transaction fees,” she said, adding that she personally prefers the cash payment as she finds the new system complicated and expensive.
David Thuo, however, had a contrary opinion and endorsed the mobile payment saying the traders can now be sure that the money they pay reaches the county government.
“It is a good system as we can now be sure that our money goes direct to the county accounts and not into people’s pockets,” he said, adding that the new mobile payment is efficient although it would take some traders time to get used to it.
Murang’a Governor, Dr Irungu Kang’ata, recently introduced the digital revenue collection system where parking fees and the daily fees by traders among other payments are made via phone in a bid to ensure that all money collected goes to the county bank accounts.
Kang’ata explained that this system which is still in its piloting stages is a conscious effort to increase revenue collection in the county without unnecessarily increasing the various charges.
