It’s relief for Landowners across Machakos following the County Government’s announcement to significantly reduce land rates from the current 2 per cent to 0.5 per cent in a move aimed at cushioning landowners from paying high land rates.
Governor Wavinya Ndeti said the value of land in Machakos had gone up in recent years thus the need to lower the land rates.
The Governor who made the announcement while unveiling a new Valuation Roll at her Office on Thursday also disclosed that the number of rateable properties in Machakos County had increased from 50,000 to 600,000 properties thus expanding the tax base.
Machakos County is the second county in Kenya to launch a valuation roll after Nandi, marking a significant milestone since the inception of devolution.
While presiding over the launch of the new Valuation Roll, Governor Wavinya reaffirmed her administration’s commitment to fairness, transparency, and enhanced revenue systems.
She said the Valuation Roll is not intended to overburden residents but rather to ensure equity in property valuation and contribution.
“It is not about overcharging our people; it is about ensuring that high-value commercial assets contribute their fair share towards the development of our devolved functions,” said Wavinya.
To enhance efficiency and safeguard data, the governor also unveiled a digital platform, the Automated Development Applications Management System (ADAMS), which will streamline development approvals and eliminate inefficiencies associated with manual processes.
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“In order to safeguard your data and eliminate human errors and delays of the past, we have rolled out the Automated Development Applications Management System (ADAMS). This is our electronic portal for building and development approvals,” added Wavinya.
Governor Wavinya further announced that landowners who have already paid their 2026 land rates will be exempt from any new rates introduced under the Valuation Roll for the rest of the year.
“Effective immediately after this launch, all outstanding arrears, interest, and penalties for late payments are waived. I encourage residents to take advantage of this waiver and make payments within the next two months, after which penalties and interest will begin accruing again based on the new principal,” said Wavinya.
“I am happy about the launch of ADAMS. The human interface encourages negotiation, and where there’s negotiations the revenue goes down. Digitization will enhance efficiency and bring in more revenue for improved service delivery,”said Finance, Economic Planning, Revenue Management and ICT County Executive Committee Member Catherine Mutanu.
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She reiterated that the County had gone cashless and all dues should be paid through the digital revenue management system for accountability.
Machakos County CECM for Lands, Nathaniel Nganga, said that the number of registered landowners has increased from 55,000 to over 60,000, positioning the county for enhanced revenue generation and improved service delivery.
Larry Kathuli, a businessman and landowner from Mavoko, praised the governor for achieving this milestone, saying that the valuation roll will bring clarity, fairness, and confidence in property ownership and taxation. He added that the initiative will streamline land administration, attract investment, and spur economic growth, terming it a game-changer for property owners and the wider business community.
By Stephen Muthini
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