Land Rates Waiver Extended to January 9 as Last-Minute Rush Overwhelms City Hall
The waiver had initially been set to expire on December 31, but county officials said heavy last-minute traffic forced the administration to grant a short, one-off extension to clear the backlog
By : Mweru Mbugua
The Nairobi City County Government has extended the ongoing land rates waiver period to January 9 following an unprecedented influx of landowners seeking services at City Hall and sub-county customer care centres
The waiver had initially been set to expire on December 31, but county officials said heavy last-minute traffic forced the administration to grant a short, one-off extension to clear the backlog
Receiver of Revenue Tiras Njoroge said the decision was purely administrative and aimed at accommodating ratepayers who turned up in good faith before the original deadline
“We extended the waiver to January 9 purely to attend to the overwhelming queues we witnessed as the December 31 deadline approached,” Njoroge said
“This is to ensure those who showed up in good faith are served. After January 9, the waiver will end, and the National Rating Act will be applied in full to all defaulters.”
He stressed that the festive waiver was intended as a final opportunity for landowners to regularise their accounts before strict enforcement measures are implemented
“This waiver is the last soft landing. Once it ends, we will fully apply the law to recover outstanding land rates, including penalties and interest,” Njoroge warned
The county has raised concerns over persistent non-compliance, noting that it places an unfair burden on a small fraction of compliant ratepayers and undermines service delivery
“It is not sustainable that only about 20 per cent of landowners are paying rates,” Njoroge said. “Roads, waste management, health services and public lighting all depend on this revenue. Everyone must contribute fairly”
Also read : Land Rates Waiver Extended to January 9 as Last-Minute Rush Overwhelms City Hall
Authorities have also cautioned the public against fraudsters claiming they can fast-track payments, urging landowners to use only official channels such as sub-county revenue offices and the Nairobi Pay platform
Earlier, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja revealed that only about 50,000 out of the city’s estimated 250,000 registered land parcels are currently compliant
He warned that the revenue shortfall is directly affecting service delivery and signalled tougher legal measures, including clamping of properties belonging to persistent defaulters, once enforcement resumes
As the January 9 deadline approaches, City Hall has urged all landowners to act promptly, saying improved compliance is critical to restoring fairness, boosting county revenue, and sustaining essential services across Nairobi
