Nakuru Lands CeC Lucy Kariuki (centre) during a meeting on how the county will recover rents arrears from its tenants. [Photo: Pristone Mambili]
Nakuru county government has embarked on finding amicable solution on how to recover the huge sums of money that tenants living in county houses owe the government.
According to the county government of Nakuru, the amount has accumulated to Sh200 million.
The amount has accumulated for the last four years.
In 2014, the county waived rent arrears amounting to Sh240 million which had accumulated for over 10 years.
Housing, Land and Physical Planning CEC Engineer Lucy Kariuki said political interference is the main cause of non-payment.
In 2010, an attempt by the defunct Municipal Council of Nakuru to evict rent defaulters in its seven estates turned chaotic leading to the death of two people.
Then area police boss Jonstone Ipara blamed the chaos on local politicians who had incited tenants not to pay rent and block eviction.
On Thursday January 11 2018 while chairing a meeting with stakeholders Engineer Kariuki said less than 50 percent of tenants were promptly paying rent.
The county has 6, 000 functional housing units with rent raging between Sh800 to Sh4, 000 a month depending on size.
“The county government of Nakuru is working towards achieving its City status and housing is a key area we are committed to improve,” said Engineer Kariuki.
Flamingo Ward MCA Eddy Kiragu said tenants had opted not to pay rent citing poor services by the former municipal and the county government.
“It’s ironical that government owned estates have the worst garbage and sewerage disposal mechanism in the county. No one is willing to pay for non services,” Mr Kiragu said.
Flamingo Ward has 1, 512 units sitting on a 35 acre parcel of land.
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