This archive report was first published on 17 August 2019.
Devolution, a cornerstone of Kenya's governance structure, aims to bring services closer to the people. However, the implementation of this concept has raised eyebrows, particularly with regards to taxation.
Take, for instance, Nairobi County's proposal to impose a Sh25 tax on every chicken brought from upcountry. This move has sparked concerns about the fairness of devolution, with many questioning whether it amounts to an import duty.
But that's not all. The county is also planning to tax cat and dog owners Sh1,000 for the companionship and inspection of their pets. This has left many wondering whether the county government is overstepping its bounds.
As Gladys Burini aptly puts it, 'It truly baffles me the lengths county governments are going to in the name of devolution.' The question on everyone's mind is: what is the cost to residents of bringing animals into their homes that they should be taxed for it?
President Uhuru Kenyatta's refusal to dish out more money to counties, despite their questionable resource use, has also been cited as a reason for the proposed taxes. However, this move has been met with resistance, with many arguing that residents should not be the collateral that meets the funds withheld by Treasury.
As Burini notes, 'We are not here to cover your shortfall, neither are we your residents to mismanage along with those resources.' The expectation is for county governments to use the resources provided to them to deliver services that are accessible and of the highest standard.
With the state of hospitals and schools in Kenya being a major concern, it's hard to justify granting counties more resources directly from residents' pockets when they don't have much to show for it.
Before governors get ahead of themselves and start running counties like mini-countries, they need to meet all their devolved functions. Only then can we talk about imposing taxes that are fair and reasonable.
