Local MPs and ward representatives as well as some traders have vowed to oppose strongly the move, claiming they were never consulted in the naming of the integrated security company, G4S.
They also claim the tender to appoint G4S was not floated in public, which County Executive Member in charge of Finance, Khalid Walid, denies.
Khalid claims G4S won a competitive bidding process transparently and was, therefore, authorised to collect revenue for a year.
But county employees and local leaders have opposed this arrangement, saying hundreds of rate collectors will lose their jobs.
Nyali MP Hezron Awiti Bolo, said, “I am surprised that these people in the county have started engaging in activities that they cannot defend when confronted with facts.” Awiti insisted that the appointment of G4s was unilateral.
Yesterday, Khalid maintained that the county government had advertised for a private company to help in the collection of revenue in Mombasa, and G4S won the tender.
He said the county currently collects Sh800,000 daily from the market, up from Sh74,000 when it took over, and said G4S is projected to collect even more than the current figure.
He announced that the county was in the process of setting up the Mombasa Revenue Authority to take charge of revenue collection.
However, Kongowea Ward Representative Jabess Mudhai Oduor said he received three threatening calls from unknown people opposed to the proposal.
[SDE]