Nairobi County seeks billions in unpaid land rates, lists properties for auction

The Nairobi County Government has threatened to auction thousands of parcels of land located within the city over unpaid land rates.

In a 72-page notice published on Friday, the Governor Johnson Sakaja-led administration warned that failure to pay the land rates will result in the auctioning of the respective parcels of land.

“The owners of the following listed properties are advised to ensure that they pay outstanding land rates arrears owed to Nairobi City County Government otherwise the properties shall be subject to penalty interest and enforcement actions including auctions by the Nairobi City County Government,” reads part of the notice.

The listed lands are situated in various Nairobi constituencies including; Westlands, Starehe, Ruaraka, Roysambu, Mathare, Makadara, Langata, Kasarani, Kibra, Embakasi West, Embakasi South, Embakasi North, Embakasi East, Embakasi Central, Dagoretti South, Dagoretti North.

The arrears being claimed by the county government range from  Ksh.50,000 to Ksh. 31 billion. Some of the defaulters include government entities such as NSSF, Embassies as well as private entities such as Safari Park and Air Tanzania.

According to County Chief Officer for Revenue and Administration Wilson Gakuya, if land owners were to comply,  the county would generate over Ksh.30 billion annually. 

Gakuya further noted that one of the major reasons land and property owners don’t pay their land rates is because those properties have disputes in court.