City tenants to be evicted over Sh300m arrears

Nairobi county government is eyeing Sh300 million rent arreas held in former Nairobi City Council houses.

The elaborate plan to evict the tenants in 26 estates in Eastlands is meant to make them pay the pending rent and other rates.

Eastland’s senior revenue officer Mutegi Iringo told officials of Jericho Lumumba Residents Association (JLRA) led by Walter Ogoli that an eviction notice will soon be served to defaulters.

“The problem has been aggravated by past tendency to prevail upon elected political leaders to intervene each time notices are issued tenant pay up. A promise of rents arrears will be waived made matters worse,” said Iringo.

Iringo said a deal on waivers was never implemented as other state agencies and the National Treasury were not fully engaged in the process.

“What tenants are yet to come to terms with is the difference between a political statement from a political leader and policy,” said Iringo.

However, a resident, Dennis Ochieng protested at being associated with defaulters, saying efforts to make payment at the Huduma Centre at Makadara hit a dead end, when officials declined to receive payment.

“Paying rent a county offices is a big challenge. They insist before I make any payment I must get a new pay bill number through and SMS.”

Lucy Wairimu has not been paying rent because of the same confusion at Huduma Centre saying the codes given each month are normally different.