No more land rate waivers, Governor Sakaja tells Nairobi property owners
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has ruled out any land rate waivers this year, stating that the county will strictly enforce payments from property owners.
The county boss pointed out that there would be no exemptions and those who fail to pay will face legal consequences.
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"We are very firm on enforcement of rates this year. Some people have been waiting not to pay, waiting for a waiver. There is no waiver this year, there is no waiver. The deadline is March, and we are going to do enforcement and follow the provisions of the law," Sakaja affirmed.
The governor urged national government institutions operating in Nairobi to settle their land rates, following revelations by Senator Edwin Sifuna that various government agencies owe the county up to Sh100 billion in unpaid bills.
Last year, the county administration granted a 100 per cent waiver on penalties and interest for payments made between May 20 and June 20, 2024. The initiative was part of efforts to boost revenue collection, though it fell short of expectations.
In the first quarter of the current financial year, land rate collections stood at Sh196 million but later dropped to Sh142 million in the second quarter.
Chief Officer for Revenue Tirus Njoroge attributed the decline to changes in internal policies on issuing waivers.
He stated that enforcement measures would now focus on recovering outstanding amounts, including clamping down on defaulting properties and auctioning those with long-standing arrears.
"While waivers on land rates have been issued in previous financial years, the result is often reducing compliance within the legally stipulated period of January-March. We are now enforcing those penalties accrued in various ways, including an operation to clamp down on properties that have not paid rates and auction those that have been notorious and failed to pay rates over a long period," Njoroge stated.
The county government remains firm on recovering pending bills, warning property owners that failure to comply will lead to legal action.
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