NAIROBI: The Nairobi City County Government, through the Nairobi Revenue Authority (NRA), has launched a aggressive enforcement campaign targeting property owners with outstanding land rates exceeding three years.

Chronic defaulters now face severe penalties, including property attachment, public auctions, listing with Credit Reference Bureaus (CRBs), and legal action. The revenue recovery initiative aims to collect long-standing arrears along with accrued penalties and interest.

To execute the operation, the NRA has appointed six specialized debt recovery firms assigned across Nairobi’s six boroughs; Siuma Auctioneers of Western Borough, Prysis Solutions Limited drawn from Northern Borough, Jephys Auctioneers from Central Borough, Boresha Credit Services Limited of South Eastern Borough, Quest Holdings Limited and AFS Holdings Limited from Eastern Borough and Southern Borough respectively.

Need for the crackdown

Defending the crackdown, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja emphasized that compliant taxpayers and small-scale business owners have shouldered an unfair share of funding municipal services.

“Mama Mboga and small business owners have never failed to pay what is due to the county. However, many landowners have failed to pay what they owe,” Sakaja noted.

“We cannot continue running this city on the shoulders of Mama Mboga alone. Everyone must pay what they owe the county so that we can continue providing quality services.”

Out of approximately 250,000 registered land parcels in Nairobi, only around 50,000 property owners, just 20 percent, maintain active accounts and pay their rates consistently.

Sakaja highlighted that the county has introduced flexible installment payment options through its fully automated platform to facilitate compliance.

Nairobi Receiver of Revenue Tiras Njoroge warned that enforcement will proceed immediately without further notice for non-compliant property owners, referencing powers under the National Rating Act, 2024.

“Property owners in default are warned that failure to settle arrears immediately will trigger enforcement actions without further notice,” Njoroge stated. “Enforcement measures may include property attachment and auction, Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) listing, and other statutory recovery actions.”

Njoroge urged landowners to clear their debts promptly using authorized Nairobi City County revenue channels.

The initiative forms part of the county’s strategy to expand its own-source revenue base, promote equitable tax compliance, and finance infrastructure and service delivery across the capital.