Landowners in Kisumu County have been granted a 100 per cent waiver on all accrued interest and penalties on outstanding land rates in a move aimed at encouraging property owners to clear their arrears.
In a public notice issued on Monday, June 15, the Kisumu County Government announced that the waiver applies to all land rate accounts across the county and will run until Tuesday, June 30.
“The County Government of Kisumu is pleased to announce a waiver on all accrued interests and penalties on outstanding land rates,” the notice stated.
According to the county, the initiative gives landowners an opportunity to settle their outstanding land rates without paying additional charges that have accumulated over time.
“This waiver presents a valuable opportunity for landowners to settle their land rates arrears without incurring additional charges,” the county said.
Residents wishing to benefit from the programme have been advised to visit the City of Kisumu offices or their respective sub-county offices where their land is registered to process their payments.
Governor Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o urged landowners to take advantage of the waiver, saying the programme is intended to help property owners regularise their land rate accounts.
The county has also provided an inquiry line and payment details through its official website for residents seeking more information about the programme.
The waiver is expected to ease the financial burden on landowners while helping the county improve revenue collection through the settlement of outstanding land rate arrears.
Outstanding land rates continue to pose a challenge for many county governments across the country, even as discussions on property tax compliance and local revenue collection continue.
County governments have increasingly turned to land rate waivers as a way of encouraging compliance and giving property owners an opportunity to clear long-standing arrears.
The issue of unpaid land rates also came into focus in May after Kenya Revenue Authority Chairman Ndiritu Murithi raised concerns over significant outstanding land rates in Nairobi, accusing the county government of under-collecting property taxes.
