Nairobi – Nairobi’s City County government has launched formal legal action to auction properties with unpaid land rates, sending final SMS warnings to thousands of owners this past weekend. The move signals an intensifying effort to collect long-overdue debts.
Receiver of Revenue Tiras Njoroge confirmed that more than 5,000 property owners received these initial alerts on Sunday, with a second batch expected from Monday. The messages warn that if debts remain unpaid by June 30, the properties will be auctioned without further notice.
“These alerts confirm that affected properties have been handed over to auctioneers because owners have failed to respond to previous notices,” Njoroge told reporters.
The SMS states:
“Your property LR XXX has an outstanding balance of KES XXX (Invoice No. YYY) and has been forwarded to auctioneers for recovery. Pay in full by June 30 to avoid auction. No further notice will be given before court action, as per the National Rating Act.”
The crackdown is backed by the National Rating Act No. 15 of 2024, which gives counties the authority to recover unpaid land rates through court action.
“This isn’t a threat. It’s simply the law being enforced,” Njoroge said firmly. “Failure to pay will lead to auction, plain and simple.”
In addition to alerting auctioneers, the county has obtained court orders to speed up the recovery process. It has also asked the Ministry of Lands to place caveats on the affected properties, preventing their sale or development until the debts are cleared.
“This is about fairness,” Njoroge explained. “It’s not right for owners of prime properties to dodge their taxes while small businesses and everyday citizens meet their obligations.”
He emphasised that improving revenue collection is key to funding essential services such as road maintenance, healthcare supplies, and clean water access.
“The message is clear: if you receive a court order, don’t panic comply. Everyone must contribute to keep the city running,” he said.
The enforcement drive is expected to continue beyond the financial year’s close. City Hall has urged all defaulters to clear their arrears promptly or face losing their properties.
