The government has reportedly withdrawn a radical bill that would have required owners of freehold land within or near urban areas to pay an annual land levy in addition to land rates.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has written to Speaker Moses Wetang’ula requesting the withdrawal of the Land Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
In a letter dated June 13, Ichung’wah informed the speaker that the withdrawal was due to constitutional and legal issues that arose from the bill.
The Kikuyu MP stated that the executive advised addressing and resolving these issues before further consideration.
“Having consulted with the relevant stakeholders, this confirms that the majority party has withdrawn the bill,” reads part of Ichung’wah’s letter.
“I request that the House Business Committee be notified of the bill’s withdrawal and that no further consideration of the bill should be undertaken.”
The Bill, sponsored by Ruiru Member of Parliament Simon King’ara, aimed to amend the 2012 Land Act by inserting a new levy after section 54, requiring owners of freehold land—property owners who have perpetual ownership and can use the land for any purpose—to pay an annual land levy.
“The owner of any freehold land located within the boundaries of any urban area or city shall pay an annual land levy equivalent to the ground rent charged on comparable leasehold land or property of the same size in the same zone. However, owners of freehold land used for agriculture may be exempted from the annual land levy,” reads part of the withdrawn Bill.
The bill, originally slated for debate in the National Assembly on June 18, was postponed to accommodate the Finance Bill, which has also been withdrawn pending formalization by the House.
