Ravages of covid19 which occasioned 13 counties lock down continue to adversely affect small traders and Kisii county government revenue collection.
Only half of the projected annual sh. 700 million was realized at the closure of this financial year with the next one feared to dwindle should the pandemic persist.
County Trade and Industry docket chief officer(CO), Mengo Ochwang’i denied non-food traders were being discriminated against when they were banned from conducting their businesses.
According to the CO, the containment measures are meant to protect the traders among others from coronavirus and should be obeyed.
His remarks came amid complaints from the small traders at Darajambili open air market over the authorities’ move to allow their foodstuffs counterparts to operate.
A woman political leader,Margret Nyabuto petitioned the two levels of government to provide a conducive environment for all traders to do their businesses without being infected with covid19.
The excluded traders had been hard –hit economically by the ban and felt punished she claimed.
Darajambili open air market remitted a substantial amount of revenue to the county government before the covid19 spike.