Senator Thang’wa Decries Increase In Property Rates In Kiambu County

By PSCU

Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang’wa has raised concerns over persistent increase in the rates imposed on land and buildings by the area county government.

He said over the last year, local residents have received demands for payment of increased property rates.

However, the residents are unaware of any review process for the property rates and have been unable to access the valuation roll currently used by the county government to impose the rates.

While seeking a statement from the Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources on the floor of the House on Thursday, Thang’wa asked the Committee to compare and contrast the property rates payable to Kiambu County under the previous versus current valuation roll.

He tasked the members of the Senator Mohamed Faki-led Committee with giving a detailed account of the process for preparing and approving the valuation roll currently used by the County Government of Kiambu to impose property rates.

“The Lands Committee must tell us whether the county government undertook public participation and made the valuation roll available for inspection by the public as required under Section 34 (5) of the National Rating Act,” said Thang’wa.

He said that the failure by the county government to publish the current valuation roll is contrary to the law and urged the Land Committee to outline the steps being taken to rectify this situation.

The legislator also tasked the Committee to report to the House the enforcement action taken or planned to be taken by the county government to recover unpaid property rates imposed under the current valuation regime.

“After investigating this matter, the Lands Committee must report to this House the measures that the County Government of Kiambu has put in place to ensure proper utilization of funds collected from the imposition of property rates,” he said, specifically in the construction and maintenance of critical county infrastructure as well as provision of water, waste management and other basic services across the county.