Governor Sakaja Warns Landlords Over Unpaid Property Taxes
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has sent out a tough warning to property owners who have failed to pay their land rates.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV on Wednesday, April 23, Sakaja revealed that only about 20 per cent of landowners in Nairobi pay their property taxes, and he intends to take serious action against defaulters.
According to the governor, out of the 250,000 registered land and property owners in the city, only 50,000 are regularly paying their land rates.
This leaves a huge gap in the county’s revenue collection, which in turn affects service delivery to residents.
“Property taxes are the biggest source of income for any city. But in Nairobi, out of 250,000 landowners, only 50,000 are paying.
This puts a heavy financial burden on a small group and it’s not something we can continue to allow,” Sakaja said.
Sakaja explained that the county is now working under a new law known as the Rating Act.
This law gives the county the authority to take firm action against landowners who do not pay their taxes, including placing their properties under receivership or auctioning them to recover the unpaid amounts.
The governor also made it clear that there will no longer be any waivers on land rates. In the past, the county used to offer waivers which allowed landowners to pay their taxes without penalties or interest.
However, Sakaja believes this encouraged a culture of defaulting, as many property owners waited for waivers instead of paying on time.
“We had extended the last waiver up to April 30. But now, that grace period is ending. From next month, we will enforce the law.
We now have complete data on all 250,000 properties, and it’s time to collect what is owed so that we can provide services to our people,” Sakaja stated.
He also added that the lack of payments has made it difficult for the county government to meet the needs of the residents, resulting in many complaints about poor service delivery. “Delivering services to Nairobians is a shared duty.
If people don’t pay taxes, we cannot fix roads, manage waste, or provide other essential services. That’s why these new measures are necessary,” Sakaja explained.
The governor emphasized that those who fail to pay their land rates on time should be prepared for strict enforcement.
“This year, there will be no waiver at all. Some people pay early, while others wait for the county to forgive penalties.
That’s not fair, and we won’t allow it. We will clamp your buildings, collect the money ourselves if we have to, and even auction your property,” he warned.
While Nairobi takes a hardline stance, other counties like Mombasa, Kilifi, and Taita Taveta are offering waivers to encourage compliance.
Mombasa County, for instance, issued a notice on April 17 saying it would waive penalties and interest on land rates and single business permits for one month, from April 14 to May 14.
This means businesses and property owners in Mombasa can settle their debts without worrying about additional charges.
In Taita Taveta, Governor Andrew Mwandime’s administration announced a 40 per cent waiver on unpaid land rates, but only if the remaining 60 per cent is cleared by May 30.
The announcement was made by Elijah Mwanzo, the County Executive for Finance and Economic Planning.
Meanwhile, Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro announced that the county would remove penalties and interest on land rates and single business permits for one month—from May 1 to May 31—allowing businesses and property owners to clear their dues without extra charges.
While other counties are choosing to ease the burden on taxpayers, Governor Sakaja is sticking to a firmer approach, insisting that compliance is the only way to ensure Nairobi functions effectively and delivers better services to its residents.
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