Governor Sakaja rubbishes reports of doubling Nairobi land rates next year

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has come out to dismiss reports that land rates in the city will double from next year following new asset valuation.

Sakaja was responding to an article published by a local media outlet on Friday, noting that the rates would not necessarily double but only increase slightly.

According to the Governor, the last valuation was done over 40 years ago, hence the need to review the valuation roll.

“No rates are doubling. We are simply adopting the new valuation roll and rates are at 0.115% of the unimproved site value. (Last valuation was 1980) This means there is only a slight increase from what residents have been paying. Stop misleading people,” he wrote on Twitter.

The article had alluded to property owners from January paying a flat rate of Ksh.2,560 annually for land below 0.1 hectares and Ksh.3,200 for that over 0.1 hectares but below 0.2 hectares.

It cited a document from City Hall that purportedly stated: “Exemption will be taken. If the new rates are lower than the current rates, then the current rates will apply, but if the new rate is more than double the current rates then only double the current rates will be levied.”