Nairobi offers 100 per cent waiver on land rates penalties for defaulters who pay by December 31
According to the county, the waiver applies to interest and penalties only, and runs until the end of December.
Nairobi landowners will enjoy a 100 per cent waiver on accumulated interest and penalties if they settle outstanding land rates before December 31.
The County government has announced that starting December 15, defaulters can clear their arrears without extra charges in a one-off move aimed at boosting revenue while easing festive-season financial pressure.
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The waiver comes against the backdrop of what county officials describe as a deepening compliance crisis, with only a fraction of landowners remitting rates despite property taxes being Nairobi’s biggest potential revenue source.
According to the county, the waiver applies to interest and penalties only, and runs until the end of December. Landowners must clear their outstanding principal amounts within the window to benefit.
Receiver of Revenue Tiras Njoroge said the incentive is intended to give ratepayers breathing space during the festive season while helping the county improve its own-source revenue.
“This is an opportunity to correct any outstanding land rates you may have accumulated. Take advantage of the waiver, which wipes out 100 per cent of interest and penalties. Come January 1, 2025, it will not be business as usual; any unpaid amount will be treated as default,” Njoroge said.
Earlier this year, Governor Johnson Sakaja revealed that compliance levels remain alarmingly low, despite Nairobi having a large and valuable property base.
“The biggest revenue earner in a city is property taxes. In Nairobi, we have 250,000 pieces of land, but only 50,000 landowners are paying land rates. That is not sustainable,” Sakaja said.
He linked the county’s financial strain directly to non-payment, warning that essential services are suffering as a result.
The governor said the county now has complete data on all registered land parcels and is preparing to move firmly against defaulters.
“Now that we have complete data on all 250,000 parcels, it’s time to collect what is due so we can deliver services. We’ve given enough time; going forward, we shall enforce,” he said.
Ratepayers have been urged to download their bills through the nairobiservices.go.ke portal or visit City Hall Annexe and sub-county offices across Nairobi. The county has also provided active phone and email channels to handle inquiries.
Njoroge emphasised that the waiver period represents the final grace window before enforcement measures take effect.
“Strict enforcement will begin immediately after December 31. Defaulters will be required to pay the full principal, plus reinstated interest and penalties,” he said.
Governor Sakaja also warned that the law allows the county to take tougher action against persistent defaulters, including the clamping of buildings.
“Buildings can be clamped. It is in the law. We do not want to get there. Let’s not leave a small fraction of landowners carrying the heavy luggage of land rates,” he said.
City Hall has urged landowners to take advantage of the waiver while it lasts, insisting that improved compliance is critical to sustainable revenue collection and better service delivery in the capital.
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