Counties

Reprieve for Kisumu property owners as land levy suspended

kisumu-city

Part of Kisumu City skyline as seen from the Kisumu Port in Lake Victoria. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NMG

Property owners in Kisumu got a temporary reprieve after the Environment and Lands Court issued an injunction suspending new property rates by the county government.

A Kisumu resident, John Michael Obure had gone to court seeking to suspend the recently gazetted Draft Valuation Roll 2017 by the county government of Kisumu which he felt was imposing rates increase by up to 7,000 percent.

Mr Obure, a resident and a tenant of a rented property in Manyatta Kisumu, wanted the Gazette notice suspended and all proceedings and processes arising from it stopped pending hearing and determination of an application he has filed before the Environment and Lands Court in Kisumu.

The roll is a legal document that consists of property information of all rateable properties within the boundaries of a municipality.

In the law suit, Mr Obure had laid out six grounds arguing that should the Roll go unchallenged, property owners in Kisumu will be subjected to increased rates up to 7,275 per cent on free hold land and 5,343 percent on leasehold land in a process. He is represented by former President of the Law Society of Kenya, Isaac Okero.

The resident feels unless his application is heard as a matter of urgency and he is allowed to challenge “the propriety, legality and validity” of the Roll, the public will not only be subjected to exorbitant rates but also have to deal with consequences such as rising cost of living in Kisumu and reduction in residents’ business competitiveness compared to other counties.

Mr Obure says the county government requires objections to its Draft Valuation Roll 2017 to be lodged within 28 days which is before January 21, yet already members of the public are being compelled to pay Sh500.

According to the Gazette Notice dated December 24, 2020 published in the local dailies, the Draft Valuation Roll 2017 was laid before the Kisumu County Assembly meeting of the County Government of Kisumu, on December,23, 2020 and has been made available for public inspection at the Town Hall and the respective sub-county offices.

The county gazetted the new rates levy for 2021. These became due on 1st January, 2021 and are payable at the County Hall and respective sub-county offices.