• Another set of tax laws has been gazetted proposing to increase charges for land transactions
• Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome has proposed the changes to three acts of parliament
• The proposed changes seek to double land rates include an increase to 2,000 shillings for official land searches
The government, through the Ministry of Lands, Housing, Public Works, and Urban Development, has yet again gazzetted another set of tax laws by proposing to increase charges for land transactions.
Land CS Alice Wahome
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In a gazette notice, Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome has proposed changes to three acts of parliament to, among others, amend the existing statutory instruments that have not been updated for a long time, especially in respect of fees and charges prescribed for various services rendered by the government in the land sector
The proposed changes that seek to double land rates include an increase to 2,000 shillings for official land searches.
Registration of land documents will now be caharged at 1,500 shillings, while corporation certificates in the land ownership process will cost another 1,500 shillings.
Fees for the incorporation of a trust have also been increased to Ksh. 50,000. Similar transactions previously cost 5,000 shillings.
Application for certified copies of the proceedings arising from the determination of the land registrar or chief land registrar will now cost Ksh. 3,000 for the first 10 pages and 100 shillings for each additional page in the new proposed changes.
In similar changes, resubmission for registration of any document in land transactions will cost you Ksh. 1,500, while correction of a name not occasioned by the registrar will be charged at Ksh. 2,500. notice of revocation of power of attorney – ksh. 5,000)
Kenyans will now pay Ksh. 5,000 to ascertain their boundaries in disputes.
To have the boundary fixed, one will pay Ksh.5,000 if the proposed changes sail through.
For placement of caution, the lands ministry proposes to increase payments to Ksh. 3,000.
In the proposed changes gazetted by CS Wahome, to have any officer of the registry attend a place outside the registration office for more than a day, Kenyans will pay Ksh. 5,000 plus transport as per the rates.
A similar amount will be charged for professional advice on any registration matters by the land registrar if the proposals see light of day.
According to the Lands Ministry, some of the fees prescribed by the statutory instruments have remained unchanged for thirty years, occasioning the need to balance service-delivery and the cost of providing services.
