The Uasin Gishu county assembly has passed a motion compelling the county government to suspend the ongoing review of land rates until public participation is done.
MCAs said the ongoing valuation should be put off to give room for members of the public to give their views before the matter is debated and approved by the assembly.
The MCAs said land matters in the county were emotive and a recent proposal by the government to increase land rates by as much as 600 per cent had caused a lot of public anxiety.
The motion moved by Sergoit MCA David Keitany said the proposed land rates were punitive.
Langas ward MCA Francis Muya said the ongoing valuation had not taken into consideration land subdivision by original owners. The Sh500 levied on land owners for search was punitive and should be revised, he said.
The county government proposes to raise rates in estates such as Kimumu are paying Sh3, 400 to Sh24, 000. Land owners in Pioneer estate will pay Sh90, 000 way up from Sh4, 000.
The proposal raised anger among business and plot owners who threatened to sue the county government for arbitrarily increasing rates without public participation c.
Governor Jackson Mandago last week called for calm, saying residents will have an opportunity to give their views before any rates are increased.