The Department of Finance and Economic Planning has held a consultative meeting with the Departments of Lands, Physical Planning, Urban Development, and ICT to deliberate on strategies aimed at boosting revenue collection through improved land rates management.

The meeting, held at the County Chambers, brought together key officers from the departments to discuss ways of streamlining data, expanding the revenue base, and enhancing efficiency in land rate collection.

Speaking during the session, the County Executive Committee Member for Finance and Economic Planning, Micah Rogony, emphasized the county’s commitment to strengthening its own-source revenue to support ongoing development projects.

“Governor Dr. Jonathan Bii has been very clear on the need to seal revenue leakages and ensure that every landowner contributes their fair share,” said Rogony. “Our focus is to expand the base by bringing more landowners into the system, ensure timely payments, and leverage technology for efficient collection. The goal is not just to increase revenue, but to ensure that our citizens see value for what they pay.”

The CECM for Lands, Physical Planning, and Urban Development, Edward Sawe, highlighted the critical role of accurate land data and digital mapping in achieving effective revenue collection.

“We are working closely with the Department of ICT to harmonize our land records and digitize rate payments,” Sawe noted. “Once our systems are fully integrated, property owners will be able to access their details easily and make payments conveniently. This will not only improve compliance but also reduce the backlog in processing and verification.”

The meeting also underscored the importance of integrating data from the Unique Parcel Number (UPN) system to improve record accuracy. According to the department’s report, the county has a total of 102,890 parcels of land captured in the records, with interest arrears amounting to Ksh 8,354,973 and principal arrears standing at Ksh 2,215,486,240.

Participants further discussed the need for public awareness campaigns to sensitize landowners on the benefits of paying rates promptly. The departments agreed to roll out joint initiatives to educate residents on how land rate revenue directly contributes to the improvement of infrastructure, urban services, and other county development priorities.

The collaborative effort between the departments marks a significant step toward enhancing transparency, accountability, and efficiency in revenue management aligning with Governor Bii’s vision of a financially sustainable and service-oriented county government.

Present during the meeting were Joseph Lagat (CECM, Health), Nixon Cheplong (Chief Officer, Economic Planning), Julius Koech (Chief Officer, Lands and Physical Planning), Nathan Korir (Chief Officer, ICT and Innovation), CPA Jonna Lamai (Director Revenue), Titus Mengich (Director ICT), among other Directors.