In a move to provide relief to tenants and property owners, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has announced a one-month extension to the penalty waiver on land rates. Nairobi county Governor Johnson Sakaja announced an extension of the waiver on land rates.The initial deadline for the waiver was set for December 31, 2023, but in a statement issued on Thursday, Governor Johnson Sakaja disclosed that the deadline had been pushed to January 31, 2024. This extension is designed to give landowners and building managers additional time to settle any outstanding penalties without incurring further charges. “Due to public demand, the waiver on interest and penalties on land rates has been extended to the 31st of January 2024. Enjoy the 100% waiver and regularise the status of your property. Enforcement on default will commence in February,” said Sakaja in a Facebook post. Sakaja urged all landlords in Nairobi to take advantage of this extension, emphasising the importance of utilising the opportunity to regularise the status of their properties. Payment method To streamline the payment process and align with Nairobi County’s no-cash policy, Sakaja recommended that all payments be made through the designated county officials’ bank accounts or via the USSD code, *647#. Land rates constitute a significant portion of Nairobi County’s own-source revenue, contributing approximately 25% to the total revenue collected by the county government. Nairobi apartment owners to pay land rates In other related news, TUKO.co.ke reported that Nairobi apartment owners will be required to start paying land rates to the county in January 2024. Those living in apartments will be required to pay land rates for common areas, including lifts, playgrounds, and swimming pools, as Nairobi county seeks to increase revenue collections. “Unit owners who have titles for their units ought to pay rates to the county because they are registered titles,” said Stephen Mwangi, the county executive for built environment and urban planning.
by Elijah Ntongai