Reprieve for Kenyans as Kiambu County Lawmakers Scrap Land Tax & Make More Changes
The Kiambu County Government has decided to eliminate land tax, following the passage of the county valuation roll by the previous administration.
Charles Thiongo, the Speaker of the Kiambu County Assembly, announced this change during a press conference on Wednesday, September 4, revealing that commercial landowners will also benefit from reduced penalties.
“We have updated the law from 2016, and as our residents requested, the land is now tax-free. Agricultural lands are also exempt from land rates,” Thiongo stated.
“This new law also removes any existing arrears. Residents need not worry about the county pursuing them for long-standing unpaid taxes.”
This decision followed a thorough County Assembly meeting on Tuesday, September 3, where several MCAs expressed their views.
Kennedy Odhiambo, the MCA for Kahawa Sukari, was particularly outspoken against what he called ‘punitive taxation measures’ from the previous Kiambu County administration.
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“Let’s keep politics out of the rates issue. We, as leaders, should unite to support the people of Kiambu,” Odhiambo urged.
In July 2024, Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi initiated steps to eliminate land rates by proposing that all freehold land under 10 acres be considered unratable.
The county government also suggested reducing the rates for chargeable land from 0.25 percent to 0.15 percent, which would significantly lower the costs.
Wamatangi stated that this initiative was designed to address the concerns of Kiambu residents who had struggled with high rates under former governor William Kabogo’s administration.
The situation had become so severe that some members of the Law Society of Kenya, led by Stephen Mbugua, sought judicial intervention to have the Kiambu Valuation Rating Act 2016 declared unconstitutional.
A major issue in Kiambu has been the confusion surrounding backdated arrears due to the use of outdated valuation rolls, complicating the accurate rating and valuation of land.
Reprieve for Kenyans as Kiambu County Lawmakers Scrap Land Tax & Make More Changes
