The Nyeri County government is reviewing land rates through the preparation of a fresh valuation roll to allow for adjustment of rates paid by landowners to the county.
Lands Executive Daniel Kwai yesterday said the process kicked off early this year.
“The last time there was a comprehensive valuation roll was 2003 and since then, there have been significant changes in the country, for instance, the implementation of devolution,” said Mr Kwai.
A valuation roll is a legal document that assigns a value to all properties in an area with the objective of generating land rates equitably.
The valuation roll is reviewed every 10 years and was supposed to take place in 2012 but it was shelved due to the 2013 elections that would have introduced county governments.
Kwai explained that the process, which began in April, is expected to be completed in November and will cover Nyeri sub-county, formerly a municipality.
“We believe the valuation roll will introduce fairness in the land rates charged and also increase the number of people who should pay land rates,” he noted.
Kwai said the county had 270,000 registered parcels of land but the majority of owners had not been paying land rates despite penalties.
“The whole of Nyeri County generated Sh760 million in revenues in the last financial year. My department collected Sh140 million in land rates against our target of Sh256 million,” Kwai said.
Based on the current valuation roll, agricultural plot owners in Nyeri and Karatina pay a flat rate of 0.5 per cent of the plot value annually.
Landowners with residential and commercial properties pay 0.75 per cent, unplanned estates pay Sh3,000 while those with land in Nyeri town, Garden estate, Skuta and their environs pay Sh5,000.
Non-payment of annual land rates attracts a penalty of 2 per cent compounded every month.
However, even before the completion of the process, residents' associations have raised objections through petitions to the county assembly.
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