A member of the Nakuru County Assembly who represents Biashara Ward Steve Kuria has promised to table a bill in the assembly that will enable small scale traders operating in residential areas exempted from paying tax.
Kuria while talking to a group of small scale traders in his area of jurisdiction on Wednesday during a meet with the area residents, said the recent decision by the county government to evict hawkers from the Central Business District was both a blessing and a curse to both traders and the county government.
He noted that the decision had rendered many traders jobless though there are improvements in the general reduction of congestion and improved sanitation in the CBD.
The MCA added that the County Assembly was concerned about the plight of small scale traders who solely depend on hawking to earn a living and that it was considering revising existing by-laws to provide a lee way for the traders.
“We at the Assembly were not consulted over this issue, but we are very much concerned about the plight of small scale traders. In particular most of the affected come from my area of representation and that is why I am planning to introduce a motion in the House to amend local revenue collection by-laws to allow for tax-free operation of small scale traders within Estates,’’ said Kuria.