[Source: Business Daily, by Joseph Wangui]
More than 100 property owners in Nyeri town have sued the county government for over-valuing their properties and introducing new land rates without conducting a public participation exercise.
In a suit that was certified urgent by the Environment and Lands Court judge Lucy Waithaka yesterday, the residents complained that the Governor Mutahi Kahiga-led government also undervalued some properties through the New Valuation Roll.
Through lawyer Wanyiri Kihoro, the plaintiffs- under the auspices of Landlords, Letting Agents and Property Owners Association- said the government had undertaken valuation of the agricultural properties to be charged tax without conducting a ground inspection.
The inspection, they said, would have made the residents aware that there was imminent introduction of rating in their areas.
“The government (respondent) has extended the rated zones of Nyeri town into the agricultural areas outlying the town’s Central Business District (CBD) without carrying out a feasibility study to assess the small-scale land holders’ ability to carry the rate burdens,” stated Mr Kihoro.
He added that residents in agricultural areas such as Tetu, King’ong’o, Mathari, Ruring’u and Gatitu stand to lose their properties through sale or auction by the government for failure to pay the rates.
[Full article: Business Daily, by Joseph Wangui]
