Residents take on county government over land rates

Residents of Laikipia County have resolved to take the county government to court for reintroducing land rates allegedly without their knowledge.

Lawyers have started the process of instituting legal proceedings against the government of Governor Joshua Irungu, which is also accused of asking for different amounts for the rates in different offices.

The residents oppose the rates claiming that public participation was not done before imposition of the land rates was effected.

The lawyers plan to file the case against the county government at the Nakuru Law Courts soon.

Some handwritten receipts seen by journalists indicated that the cash received by the county government for land rates was receipted under payment for pets and animals.

The residents said that under the defunct Laikipia County Council, land rates had been scrapped, adding that it is still unclear how the county government reintroduced the fee, which they termed oppressive.

Harun Muraya, a member of Ng'arua council of elders, said the residents decided to go to court since they were not consulted when the rates, which they claimed are aimed at ruining the lives of common mwananchi, were reintroduced.

No consultation

"We have seen the best way to solve this problem is by seeking justice in court. The county government failed to inform us on what was going on but we will not let it go," he said.

James Njuguna, a resident of Sipili, noted the discrepancies in the receipts when he visited the county offices in Nyahururu where he was asked for Sh1,500 for the rates. When he went to Rumuruti, he was asked for Sh2,000 for the same.

Lawyers Makara Ngure and Njeri Kagiri, who will represent the complainants, said members of the public ought to have been consulted before the fees were imposed.

"We have been asked to institute legal measures against the Laikipia County Government for going against the will of the people of Laikipia. We have been given the mandate to sue the government and we will do the same," he said.

Makara said apart from matters to do with the land rates, they will also be filing a case seeking to compel the proprietor of Kuki Gallman private ranch to compensate families of those who have been killed and the crops destroyed by animals from the ranch.

Makara said for many years, residents of Laikipia have incurred huge losses owing to stray animals that raid private farms.