Wananchi reject hike in fees provided in the lands amendment Bill

Nakuru,

Tuesday, November 21, 2023

KNA by Anne Sabuni

Central and South Rift region residents have called for a reduction in the proposed fees and charges for land transactions set out in the Land Laws Amendment Bill 2023 to cut down the tax burden on citizens.

A public participation sitting held in Nakuru, that drew participants from Nakuru, Kericho, Bomet, Narok and Baringo counties, heard that the current harsh economic times did not warrant a review of every government service charge.

 “Why should we be paying monies to persons whose integrity is already questionable? We first want an overhaul of the registry staff here in Nakuru before we can even speak about increasing the charges. We feel this is punitive and a way of denying the residents services,” Dan Mwaura from Nakuru said. 

Bomet resident, Murei Peter, regretted that the public ought to have been sensitised forehand through the media on the proposals in the Bill against the existing laws to inform a fair contribution from the participants.

“We don’t understand why we should facilitate the government officials to visit our properties. The transport reimbursements and other allowances, as well as charges to have them testify in court are punitive,” regreted Nancy Chepkorir, a resident of Chepalungu Sub County in Bomet.

The residents, who objected to the proposed raise in the fees for searches, allotment, land control boards and survey as well as land evaluation fees, termed the proposals as harsh and punitive in nature and called on the government to tone down the revised fees and charges across departments.

“We have been paying for special consent which was a high cost that we are shocked was not part of the levies approved by the government. Members of the Land Boards have also not been receiving their allowances, despite having abandoned their work to sit even at short notice to help mediate the emotive issue of land,” noted Elizabeth Kihara, a resident of Naivasha.

They proposed that the valuation for the purposes of reviewing land rates be 20 years from the proposed 10 years, urging the government to hasten the digitization process and train the public on its use, curb corruption that has denied the government revenue.

Nakuru County Commissioner Loyford Kibaara, who graced the occasion, noted that most statutes that were established in the colonial era are outdated and need to be revised to incorporate new changes including the cashless systems the government was rolling out.

The State Department for Lands, represented by Advocate Tom Aguta, regretted that the current laws were irregular and the reforms were meant to streamline the fees and charges, while seeking to align them with the constitution.

 Aguta, who regretted the current irregularities in land rent rates among other issues, said that the Bill also sought the public’s consent to decentralize the Trust Registry to all the 47 counties.

The Bill further proposes to also introduce a special Land Control session fee at Sh15, 000, with persons requiring government officers to appear in court on matters that government is not party to, having to part with Sh6, 000 as well as other transport costs, which the participants objected to.

Other fees proposed are mutations approvals at Sh600 per portion, Sh3, 000 for a Regular Index Map (RIM), Sh30, 000 for topographical survey as well as Sh10, 000 and Sh5, 000 for the sale of National Atlas and Nautical Charts respectively.

Director of Survey Weldon Martim noted that the Department of Lands was doing all it can to ensure all payments were used in improving service delivery, while the citizens received equal treatment while seeking services.

Martim noted that the digitization of the land processes would ease service delivery, while affording the citizens information on their properties at their fingertips.

Courtesy; KNA