This archive report was first published on 16 September 2019.
On September 16, 2019, the Uasin Gishu County Assembly took a crucial step in addressing concerns over a proposed land valuation bill that would have seen land rates skyrocket by more than 600 percent.
MCAs, led by Sergoit Ward Member of the County Assembly (MCA) David Keitany, rejected the move, citing the lack of public participation in the proposed legislation.
Keitany, who sponsored the motion to postpone the ongoing land valuation, emphasized that the process should be suspended until public participation has been conducted and approved by the Uasin Gishu County Assembly.
His Langas counterpart, Francis Muya, seconded the motion, highlighting that the ongoing land valuation roll does not take into consideration subdivisions of the land by original owners.
According to Muya, the valuation roll conducted by the executive does not capture the real picture of Eldoret Municipality, as most plots have been omitted.
The proposed new valuation roll would have seen a half-acre plot in Kimumu increase from Sh3,000 to Sh24,000 per year, while a quarter-acre plot in Pioneer would have risen from Sh3,400 to Sh90,000 annually.
Traders, landowners, and farmers have already filed a case in court seeking to quash the proposed new rates, with the case set to be heard on the following day.
