Following a series of complaints from landlords and property owners, Kiambu County Government, on Tuesday, April 25, sanctioned investigations regarding employees accused of running a syndicate.
In a statement by Governor Kimani Wamatangi, the county indicated that it launched investigations to nab the masterminds demanding tokens to generate land rate records for landlords and other property owners.
Among the landlords affected included those in Ruiru and other areas within Kiambu County.
"Investigations already sanctioned. My administration is reining in all rogue officers who have been frustrating property owners to facilitate extortion," Wamatangi indicated.
To report extortion cases targeting landlords paying land rates, Wamatangi directed affected property owners to submit their complaints through the county's official communication channels.
"Members of the public should report such cases to us through our hotlines-0742000888 or 0103000888 (call of SMS) for action," Wamatangi directed.
The governor responded following a whistleblowers report accusing some county officials at Ruiru of perpetuating the vice. The whistleblower indicated officials demanded tokens to process the land rate details.
"I have been seeking to know land rates so that I can pay for the last two months. Every time I go, I am told that the valuer is not around and that I should return after two days.
"They have done a shoddy handwritten report, and they are demanding a bribe," the whistleblower claimed.
In Kiambu, agricultural land owners pay at least Ksh2,000 for those with less than five acres of land. Other property owners pay the annual land rates depending on county stipulations.
His sentiments came days after the county evacuated residents from a storey building which had started sinking. The county's Department of Lands, Housing and Physical Planning rushed to the scene and evacuated the tenants after the building developed multiple cracks, nearly sinking.
"Following a preliminary investigation that linked the cracks to a foundation failure, the county structural engineers declared the building as unsafe for occupation," Governor Wamatangi noted.
