Nairobi land rates defaulters risk auction as City Hall moves to court

Landowners in Nairobi who have defaulted on rate payments now face the risk of having their properties auctioned, as City Hall intensifies its crackdown on defaulters.

The Nairobi County Government has moved to court seeking permission to sell off clamped properties whose owners have failed to settle their dues.

Speaking on Thursday in a radio interview, Nairobi County Finance CEC Charles Kerich said the county had entered the third week of enforcement operations and was targeting persistent defaulters through legal action.

“We have compiled a list of properties that have been clamped and whose owners have refused to pay. We are now seeking court intervention to auction these properties to the highest bidders,” Kerich said.

The county is also engaging the Ministry of Lands to impose caveats on the affected properties, restrictions that would bar owners from developing, securing loans against, or selling their land until outstanding land rates are fully paid.

 “Once the Ministry confirms, these caveats will ensure no transactions can happen on those properties without full compliance,” Kerich added.

Only about 20 per cent of landowners in Nairobi are compliant with land rate payments, according to Kerich, who stressed that this imbalance was straining the delivery of essential services.

“If everyone paid what they owe, we’d have enough money to fix roads, stock hospitals with medicine, and provide water to all estates. We need fairness from residents—and accountability from the county as well,” he said.

The Finance CEC also confirmed that the operation will extend beyond the current financial year, with court actions continuing indefinitely.

“Even after June, enforcement will not stop. This is about civic responsibility,” Kerich emphasised.

The crackdown is part of the county’s broader effort to boost revenue collection ahead of the close of the 2024/2025 financial year.