Nairobi City Hall has stepped up enforcement against property owners and businesses that owe the county Sh15 billion in rates arrears, with the latest operation recovering more than Sh7.8 million.
Finance department officers targeted eight properties in different parts of the city, including the Central Business District, Kilimani, Thika Road, Ngara and Parklands. The county said the exercise was part of a wider push to recover unpaid revenue from property owners who have ignored notices.
Governor Mike Sonko said there would be no waivers for rates and licence defaulters, citing section 19 of the County Government Rating Act, which allows the county government to place a charge on property that has not paid rates.
“Let me make it very clear that there shall be no waivers and we shall stick to our notice. The County does not intend to give waivers this year, so the defaulters should pay their rates,” said Governor Sonko.
The latest action follows an earlier clampdown in August that raised Sh300 million. That operation, carried out by county revenue officials, focused on properties in the Central Business District that at the time owed the county Sh12 billion.
Among the businesses affected then were Princely House Limited, Wines and Spirits (K) Limited, Chester House and North Eastern Investment, which is on Kenyatta Avenue opposite Ebrahims Supermarket.
North Eastern Investment was said to owe Sh6.8 million, while Princely House Limited owed Sh954,478 and Wines and Spirits (K) Limited Sh758,259.
The county said the crackdown is backed by section 18(1) of the Rating Act, which allows it to require a person paying rent on a property to remit the rent to the county where rates remain unpaid. Property owners have until March 31 each year to clear outstanding arrears.
City Hall also signalled that the operation will widen to other revenue sources, including markets, county rental houses and stalls, car parks and outdoor advertising.
