WIN FOR MAKUENI COUNTY IN MTITO ANDEI RATES CASE.

The Court of Appeal has stayed orders which had been issued by a Mombasa Court stopping makueni county from collecting revenue at Mtito Andei town.

The order by the Court of Appeal authorises Makueni County to collect revenue in Mtito Andei and quashes the earlier court order authorising Taita Taveta to collect revenue in Mtito Andei. It also suspends notices issued by Okiya Omtata and Taita Taveta County directing business owners at Mtito Andei to pay rates and permits to Taita Taveta County.

In an appeal, Makueni County argued that the orders from the mombasa court violated the constitution by requiring County government to open commercial account for collecting revenue instead of the County Revenue Fund.

This reprieve which has been welcomed by residents of Mtito Andei comes after National Land Commission had written to the Mombasa Court informing it that Mtito Andei is squarely within Makueni County.