Gov't to Impose Taxes on Idle Land in Kenya

The Government through the Ministry of Lands has announced that it will introduce a new policy to impose taxes on idle land.

However, the policy will take effect after both the Senate and the National Assembly adopt it. 

Speaking in Mombasa on Thursday during the Inaugural Retreat for the Senate Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources, Land Cabinet Secretary Farida Karoney said Parliament has a role in ensuring that the changes are effected.

“In our Rural Settlement Planning at the ministry, we have the land taxation policy that seeks to provide a package of incentives to encourage productive and sustainable use of land and disincentives for keeping idle land,” Ms Karoney said.

Karoney noted that the taxation policy is aimed at encouraging land owners to put it to productive use.

“This is pegged on the National Land Use Policy (NLUP). I am appealing to the Senate, through the committee, to support the fully implementation of the NLUP and the National Spatial Planning Policy (NSP)."

She further stated that there are huge chunks of land lying idle, and could be utilized for both agricultural and commercial purposes.

“It is sad that we have all this idle land that can be used for agricultural and commercial purposes for our economic development. This is the land we are targeting. That land must be utilized for the growth of this nation,” she said.