Nairobi County has issued a warning to the owners of 107 plots of land, threatening to reclaim the properties that originally belonged to the county.
In a notice published in the Daily Nation on December 14, the County stated that the affected plots, located in Kayole, Mathare North, and Umoja 1, remain undeveloped and have accumulated significant unpaid plot dues. These parcels were allocated under the County’s Site and Service Scheme, a government initiative launched in the 1980s to provide land and essential infrastructure in informal settlements.
Under the program, the Nairobi Municipality transferred ownership of land to individuals with the expectation that they would develop their plots within 24 months and settle all dues. However, the County has now revealed that 107 plots still remain undeveloped and are in arrears.
The notice, signed by Godfrey Akumali, Acting County Secretary and Head of Nairobi County Public Service, states: “Non-compliance with the terms and conditions of allocation has led to the underutilization of the scarce land resource in the city, causing revenue loss and negatively impacting service delivery.”
The County has given a 30-day deadline for landowners to settle outstanding dues. Additionally, owners of undeveloped plots have been instructed to complete construction within six months, or the plots will be repossessed.
“Failure to pay the outstanding dues and develop the plots as required will result in the County repossessing the land and reallocating it to other eligible individuals without further notice to the current owners,” the notice warned.
In Kayole, 81 plots across various zones, including A, B, C, and D, are affected, with notable plot numbers such as A1-115, A2-131, A3-530, B1-119, C1-280, and D1-112 on the list. Mathare North is impacted by 26 plots, including MN 1-84 and MN 2-72, while Umoja 1 is affected by a single plot, M72.
