It is a reprieve for landowners and business owners as Mombasa County Government has extended the penalty waiver period for 30 days amid economic hurdles.
Landowners had until March 31 to pay their dues but Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has extended the deadline to April 30 following requests by the residents.
Governor Nassir said he was impressed by the response from landowners who took advantage of the waiver to clear their accrued land rates.
“We have decided to extend the payment of land rates and single business permits on an interest-free and penalty-free basis up to and limited to April 30th,” Governor Nassir declared.
The Governor hailed residents for having faith in his government and development agenda based on an increase in Own Source Revenue from land accounts following the declaration of the waiver on all penalties.
Nassir revealed that residents implored him not to enforce stringent measures to recoup revenue from land and businesses due to the prevailing harsh economic period.
The Governor decried delayed disbursement of funds from the National Government, however, he said Own Source Revenue has increased and anyone doing business with the County Government receives their payments within 90 days “and that is the kind of financial independence we want to see”.
County Executive Committee Member for Lands, Physical Planning, Housing, and Urban Renewal Mohammed Hussein said they are in the process of updating the Land Valuation Roll and added they are waiting for the outcome of the valuation case in court.
The CECM Land advised developers to update their payments before the deadline to avoid pay the new land rates in this annual cycle.
The current valuation roll has been used since 1991, the CECM Lands said for the last 30 years, Mombasa has significantly developed into one of Kenya’s key urban cities.
Updating the valuation roll for all property, Hussein noted, will enable the administration to carry out better urban planning and increase revenue collection of land rates that will go into service delivery.
By Sadik Hassan
