How Nairobi Tenants Will Suffer as Sakaja Cracks Down on Landlords

How Nairobi Tenants Will Be Affected as Sakaja Targets Landlords in Revenue Crackdown

Tenants living in Nairobi may soon start facing serious hardships as the county government intensifies its crackdown on landlords who have failed to pay land rates.

Charles Kerich, the Nairobi County Executive in charge of Finance and Planning, has revealed that the government is considering drastic steps to recover the money owed by property owners, which may directly impact tenants.

One of the most controversial proposals under discussion is to make tenants pay their rent directly to City Hall instead of giving it to landlords.

This move, according to Kerich, is aimed at helping the county collect outstanding land rate arrears. He spoke about this new plan during an interview with Radio Citizen on Thursday, saying, “We will tell tenants to begin paying their rent directly to us.”

But that’s not the only tough measure on the table. Kerich warned that the county might also stop providing essential services like garbage collection, water, and sewerage to properties whose owners have failed to clear their debts.

If this happens, it will be the tenants who suffer most—especially in areas where access to clean water and basic sanitation is already a major challenge.

The Nairobi County Government says it has been left with no choice but to implement these extreme actions due to the large amount of unpaid land rates.

Kerich explained that the situation is urgent and that the county must raise more money to offer better services to residents.

“If everyone paid what they owe, we’d have enough money to fix roads, stock hospitals with medicine, and provide water to all estates,” he said. “We need fairness from residents and accountability from the county as well.”

To make matters worse for defaulters, the county is now considering taking back valuable land and buildings from landlords who haven’t paid.

The recently enacted National Rating Act 2024 gives counties more power to repossess and auction such properties.

Kerich emphasized that land ownership in Nairobi is based on lease agreements, some lasting 99 years. If the leaseholder fails to meet their financial obligations, the lease can be cancelled.

The county has already moved to court, filing a case with the Environment and Land Court (ELC) in an effort to recover billions in unpaid land rates.

Kerich said that City Hall is now targeting 200 properties for legal action, where it hopes to get approval to auction the buildings in public.

“We will put the auction in public so that someone can see their title being auctioned off,” Kerich explained. “We want people to learn from this and take responsibility.”

So far, several buildings in Nairobi have been clamped by county officers, and the crackdown is intensifying. According to Kerich, the current operation is already in its third week, and enforcement officers are not slowing down.

“We have compiled a list of properties that have been clamped, and the owners are still unwilling to pay. We are now seeking court intervention to auction these properties to the highest bidders,” he said.

This ongoing campaign is part of Governor Johnson Sakaja’s broader plan to recover about Ksh10 billion owed to Nairobi County. Kerich mentioned that this amount, if recovered, would greatly help the city improve services in healthcare, infrastructure, and water supply.

However, the planned actions have raised concerns about how tenants will be affected, especially if the county starts taking rent directly and cuts off basic services.

When asked whether this could create tension between landlords and tenants, Kerich responded that the county will move forward firmly, insisting that recovering the funds is critical.

In the end, while the crackdown may be necessary for revenue collection, it’s clear that many Nairobi tenants will be caught in the middle of a financial battle between their landlords and the county government.

If landlords don’t pay, tenants may soon face higher pressure, poor services, and legal confusion about where to send their rent.

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