An acute shortage of county workers has hit Naivasha and Gilgil towns, adversely affecting revenue collection mainly parking fees from motorists.
Though it’s a joy for motorists, MCAs from Nakuru County have warned of a sharp drop in revenue collection of up to 40 percent due to the impasse.
They have pointed at parking fees as the most affected sector, noting that the county was losing millions of shillings in uncollected revenue every week.
According of the chairman of the implementation committee in the assembly Simon Wanyoike, the department had been hit by an acute shortage of workers.
Speaking in Naivasha on Thursday, Lakeview MCA Wanyoike Wanango pointed an accusing finger at the county minister for finance Francis Mathea for the impasse.
“Our county finance minister is working in isolation and this has adversely affected revenue collection as workers are demoralized,” he said.
He questioned the rationale of sending enforcement officers all the way from Nakuru to Naivasha to cramp vehicles every day.
According to nominated MCA Esther Njeri, this was a waste of public resources, adding that more staff should be hired.
Njeri noted that many motorists could not pay their fees due to lack of county workers on various streets meaning a loss of revenue.
“The issue has been complicated by enforcement officers who are cramping the vehicles and driving back to Nakuru leaving the motorists stranded,” he said.
The sentiments were echoed by the leader of the majority Samuel Waithuki, who accused the finance minister of engaging in politics.
Waithuki warned of a financial crisis in the county if the issue of revenue collection was not addressed urgently.
“The county has automated collection of parking fees but there are no workers to do this job leading to a sharp drop in our revenue collection,” he said.