Nairobi Governor Sakaja Johnson has extended the deadline for payment of land rates to April 15, 2026, citing long queues at customer service centres as Nairobi residents rush to comply ahead of enforcement, with some lines stretching beyond official working hours.
The Governor said the extension is intended to ease congestion and ensure that no property owner is locked out of the payment process. He also approved a 3 per cent discount on payments made within the extended period.
“Out of 250,000 parcels, we have only 50,000 accounts on the system. Unique parcels that are rate-paying are less than 120,000. However, we all want to be served better and have improved services from the county—it is only fair that we all pay,” Sakaja said.
He added: “The additional 15 days will help us manage the long queues witnessed at our customer care centres so that we do not leave anyone behind.”
The move comes as the county intensifies efforts to boost compliance, including plans to engage professional debt collectors to pursue land rates defaulters and close the gap between registered parcels and active accounts.
In a related push to enhance compliance, Nairobi City County last weekend opened its customer service centres on Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., allowing residents more time to settle outstanding dues.
Sakaja noted that the extended hours were meant to improve access to services and encourage early payments.
“This is an opportunity for property owners to take advantage of the 3 per cent discount and clear their arrears conveniently,” he said.
County data shows that only about 50,000 out of 250,000 registered land parcels are actively captured in the system, with fewer than 120,000 parcels paying rates, leaving a small proportion of property owners to shoulder the burden of funding city services.
The Governor warned that persistent arrears, driven by accumulated penalties and interest, are straining the county’s ability to deliver essential services such as garbage collection, road maintenance, street lighting, and healthcare.
County Receiver of Revenue Tiras Njoroge cautioned that strict enforcement measures will take effect immediately after the new deadline.
“Starting April 16, we will begin firm enforcement on land rates defaulters. We encourage all residents to comply early to avoid penalties and disruptions,” he said.
The county maintains that paying land rates is not just a legal obligation but a key driver of service delivery, infrastructure development, and efficient city management. In the financial year ending June 2025, Nairobi recorded a historic KSh 13.8 billion in own-source revenue.
Njoroge said the county is now fully prepared, both legally and technologically, to enforce compliance on every property.
He added that business owners occupying premises with unpaid land rates are deemed rateable owners under the Rating Act, 2024, and the relevant county regulations.
He noted that after April 15, the county will undertake enforcement actions, including but not limited to taking over rent collection, auctioning properties, placing charges at the Ministry of Lands, and issuing agency notices to commercial banks to recover outstanding land rates.
