Nairobi City
County is stepping up its revenue enforcement efforts as it continues to
disconnect services from the county for land rate defaulters.
Receiver of
Revenue Tiras Njoroge told the Star that the decision is lawful and aimed at
pushing defaulters to take responsibility.
Njoroge said
list of over 100 high-profile properties has been released, and the process to
cut them off from county services is underway.
“Whatever we
are doing is fully within the law. Some of these properties owe millions in
unpaid land rates, yet their owners continue to enjoy our services without
showing any real effort to pay,” Njoroge said.
The affected
properties including well-known commercial and residential buildings across the
city, are now being denied essential services such as water supply, garbage
collection, parking access, and licensing support.
Njoroge
notes that most of the targeted properties have already received multiple
warnings, clamping notices, and SMS alerts but no meaningful attempts are being
made to settle the debts.
“We are
doing our part. Now we are taking action. For better services, everyone must
pay what is due. We can’t have a city where the law applies selectively,” he
adds.
The Receiver
f Revenue said the wave of enforcement follows the County’s issuance of final
SMS notifications to over 5,000 property owners last weekend.
The messages
warned of imminent auction under the National Rating Act No. 15 of 2024, which
empowers counties to seize and sell properties to recover unpaid rates.
In addition
to auction proceedings, the County is also seeking to secure court orders for
debt recovery, caveats from the Ministry of Lands to block transactions on
listed properties as well as initiating service blackouts for listed
defaulters.
Njoroge emphasized
that regular ratepayers, including small traders and homeowners, should not
carry the burden while owners of prime real estate avoid taxes.
“We all want
clean water, good roads, and functioning hospitals. But that requires revenue.
The law must apply equally to all,” he said.
Njoroge
urged property owners to settle their dues or face consequences ranging from
auction to full withdrawal of services.
