By TWN Team
The Kebirigo business community has resolved to stop paying taxes to the Nyamira County government due to the poor condition of services in the market.
The business owners, who operate in the open-air market in Kebirigo, held a demonstration today to protest the government’s failure to address their grievances.
Kebirigo is one of the county’s largest and most profitable markets, but it has recently been overrun with decomposing garbage.
Addressing the media, market chairman Samuel Marigwa stated that they had issued a notice to the relevant authorities, informing them that they would stop paying taxes if their issues were not resolved.
“After the 14-day notice and a 10-day extension, the Nyamira County government did nothing, forcing us to declare that no businessperson will pay or remit taxes until our demands are met,” Mr. Marigwa said to cheers from the business community.
The businesspeople in the market claim the county has ignored their numerous requests for new toilets and a reliable water supply.
“The market toilets are full, causing human waste to spill onto the floor, making them unusable and hazardous to marketgoers who use them to relieve themselves,” the market chairman stated.
Ms. Boke Said, a businesswoman in Kebirigo, lamented the county leadership’s lack of effort to build new toilets, forcing them to use the unsanitary ones.
“Women are suffering in this market because they are the most affected by these toilets due to their nature,” she said. “We are constantly getting infections from using these toilets, which is affecting our marriages.”
She also supported the chairman’s declaration that they would not pay taxes to pressure the county to address their issues.
“There is no point in paying taxes if those taxes are not used to maintain and clean the market and make it conducive for business,” Ms. Boke said.
The business community also criticized the county government for neglecting its garbage collection duties, which has made the market look like a dumpsite.
“They recently built a garbage collection site, or ‘material recovery facility,’ with Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) funding, but the completed facility is still not in use,” Mr. Marigwa said.
He also stated that the facility was not built according to the bill of quantities, resulting in a very small structure that cannot handle the amount of garbage produced in the Kebirigo market.
Another angry businessman, George Otara, said the current streetlights are not working, making the market unsafe at night.
“The streetlights are not working, and when they do, they turn on during the day but are off at night, leaving the market in darkness,” he said angrily.
He added that they have malfunctioned and require immediate repair to curb the rising insecurity and theft cases in the market.
“Nowadays, our stalls are being broken into, items are stolen, and shops are vandalized, resulting in losses for the owners who rely on them to support their families,” he said sadly.
The businesspeople unanimously stated that the market needs to be expanded to accommodate those who sell their goods along the road, which would help prevent accidents that have become common in Kebirigo, especially on market days.
“There is a large plot of land set aside for the Kebirigo market, but it has unfortunately been grabbed by some untouchable individuals,” Tom Ongaga said.
Mr. Ongaga claims that market land, including feeder roads and back streets intended for market expansion, has been grabbed.
“The government set aside the market land, and we know where the beacons were,” he added. “Why is the county now saying they want to buy a Ksh. 3 million plot of land for the market when they can reclaim the grabbed land?”
He said the Ksh. 3 million land is too small for the market and demanded that the original market land be reclaimed so that all businesspeople can be accommodated as the market grows.
When reached for comment, the Chief Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Trade, Mr. Bernard Maina, acknowledged receiving their grievances.
He said that money has been allocated in this financial year to address issues with water, street lighting, and the livestock market.
“We have allocated money to buy a plot of land to host a livestock market in Kebirigo so that it can be relocated from the road,” CECM Maina said.
He also stated that they have budgeted for a water pump to supply water from the existing borehole within the market.
“From the same budget, there is an allocation for purchasing larger water tanks, not only for Kebirigo but also for other major markets in the county,” he announced.
The CECM asked the business community for patience, stating that procurement for these services would begin soon.
He assured the business community that they would begin construction on a new toilet in the market soon. A visit to the existing toilets reveals a picture of neglect and disregard on the part of the county, which should be condemned and their use prohibited.
The decision by market officials to halt tax payments to the county has occurred before, resulting in losses for the Nyamira County government.
“If all of our demands are not addressed and met by the county government, no revenue clerk will be permitted to operate in Kebirigo,” Mr. Marigwa warned.
