The Mombasa County government has awarded Nairobi-based payments technology company Riverbank Solutions a lucrative contract to digitise revenue collection including parking and market fees.
Riverbank, which provides software solutions and products for various industries, is associated with Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa.
The deal, whose value the firm and Mombasa County officials declined to reveal, paves the way for digital payment of parking fees for residents of the tourist hub.
“Effective February 18 citizens of Mombasa County will henceforth not be required to make cash payments for parking but instead do so through their mobile phones by simply dialing *282#,” the county said in a notice posted on local dailies. Payment of parking fees via the digital platform starts next week.
Riverbank Solutions confirmed that it had partnered with two banks to enable seamless transactions on its portal.“We have integrated with KCB and Equity Bank for direct bank payments,” Riverbank commercial director Saul Ongalo told the Business Daily in response to queries. “We have several channels for payments including a customer self-service portal, USSD, and Safaricom’s M-Pesa on a point-of-sale (POS).”
Following the deal Riverbank, which said it already serves 11 other counties with the solution, is eyeing more automation contracts.
The firm has inked similar contracts with Kajiado, Kisii, Homa Bay, Nakuru, Nyandarua, Kitui, Makueni, Meru, Kiambu, Baringo, and Kericho counties.
“There are tenders coming up every day including in Nairobi and Murang’a counties, we are interested in all of them,” said Mr Ongalo.
With the deal, Mombasa joins a growing list of county governments that have digitised the payment and collection of levies such as parking fees, trade permits and statutory rates to curb graft. JamboPay has been collecting revenues on behalf of Nairobi County but its contract ends in April.