Hundreds of small-scale traders in Kiambu County can afford a smile after the devolved unit waived all taxes on their operations to cushion them against the vagaries of Covid-19. Following the announcement, officers from the department of all revenue collection have stopped collecting revenues from hawkers, small-scale vegetable retailers, cereals vendors as well as second-hand clothes (mitumba) traders. Also waived are market levies for those trading in livestock and bus park fees for all public transport vehicles including boda bodas and tuk tuks.
For matatus operators, 60 percent of their regular requisite payments have also been waived with land owners having been cleared off 100 percent penalties for accrued annual tax rates as at December 2020.
Barber shops, salons, general shops, shoe shiners, kiosks, and M-Pesa traders will also enjoy waiver of penalties imposed for non-compliance.
Besides the effects of the global pandemic, the James Nyoro-led County also took into consideration the high cost of living being experienced in the country to issue the tax holiday.
Traders in Ruiru termed the move as a great relief following the major struggles they have been contending with as a result of Covid-19. In a county that is among the five that President Uhuru Kenyatta placed on lockdown following increased positive cases of Covid-19 infections and deaths, the traders said they can now afford to meet their basic needs with ease, something that was unworkable before the extension of tax reliefs.
At Ruiru market, the over 2,500 traders at the marketplace further acclaimed the devolved unit for putting up modern markets thereby bettering their operations.
As heavy rains continue to pound across the country, the traders said they can comfortably continue selling their wares without interruptions.
Their chairman Peter Waiganjo said that before the new shades were built, the market was not habitable as the rains would occasion mud resulting in destruction of various food items.
