- Farmers say high land valuation rates, with stamp duty charged at 4% of Sh1 million per acre, are locking many out of acquiring title deeds.
Farmers in Matungulu Sub‑county say high land valuation rates, which push up stamp duty fees, have left many unable to secure title deeds for their parcels. The concern was raised during Governor Wavinya Ndeti’s development tour of the area.
Muka Mukuu Farmers Cooperative Society Chairman, Dominic Nthwao, told residents at Kyeleni Market that the average value of land in Matungulu currently stands at Sh1 million per acre, with stamp duty charged at 4 percent of the land value. He explained that the cost is prohibitive for small‑scale landowners.
“There is one thing troubling our members. Title deeds have become elusive due to high stamp duty. The average value of one acre is Sh1 million, so if you have 8 acres, four percent comes to Sh320,000, plus other fees including consent. It is a big issue for our members,” Mr. Nthwao said.
He added that while farmers understand the importance of paying taxes, the current rates are unaffordable. “If the land value here could be reduced slightly, it would ease our burden of paying high stamp duty,” he noted.
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The chairman warned that the situation risks locking out many residents from formal land ownership, undermining security of tenure and limiting access to credit facilities that require title deeds as collateral.
The County Government of Machakos, working with the National Government, recently undertook a comprehensive review of land rates and established a new valuation roll for the county. However, farmers argue that the revised figures remain too high for ordinary residents.
Local leaders have now been urged to push for a review of valuation rates to make title deeds more accessible, with farmers insisting that affordable land registration is critical for economic empowerment and agricultural development in the region.
By Gastone Valusi
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