Land owners to pay more to subdivide land in Nakuru

Land owners in Nakuru county are set to pay more to subdivide parcels into more than 1,000 plots.

According to the Nakuru County Finance Bill 2016, land owners will now be charged Sh500,000 to change their land use.

The new fees are aimed at discouraging the subdivision of agriculture land into commercial and residential plots.

The Bill moved by Nyota Ward Representative John Njuguna Gichamu states that those subdividing  their land to create between 501 to 1,000 plots of an eighth or a quarter of an acre will be charged Sh300,000 .

Land owners subdividing their land to create between 201 to 500 plots will be charged Sh200,000 for change of user while land that will create between 101 to 200 plots,  land owners will be charged Sh100,000.

The Bill further indicates that change of use of land to create less than 50 plots, the land owners will pay Sh50,000.

Nakuru County once a rich agriculture land is now a jungle of concrete as land owners in the outskirts of the town in areas such as Kiamunyi, Lanet, Njoro, Mbaruku, Elementaita, Pipeline, Bahati and Molo have converted their land into  residential and commercial entities.

At the same time the Bill has good news for food handlers as their six months license fee has been reduced from Sh600 to Sh300 for those operating in Nakuru East, Nakuru West, Naivasha, Molo, Njoro, Gilgil, Bahati and Rongai sub counties.

However, those operating in Subukia and Kuresoi North and South respectively will pay Sh250 instead of Sh500 charged in the last financial year.

In a bid to attract more private school investors in the education sector, the Bill has scrapped the Sh500 county small business permit for registration of educational institutions and pre-school units.

Betting services will now be an expensive venture as the installation of a single Gaming machine will be charged at Sh50,000.

However, the Bill has slashed the application fee for Betting, Gaming and Lotteries from Sh250 to Sh1,000 per application.

Holding a political meetings at Menengai Social Hall will now be cheaper as the fees have been reduced from Sh10,000 to Sh7,500 while religious function will now be charged Sh3,500  instead of Sh5,000.

The entertainment industry has a reason to smile as music extravaganza, drama and cultural festivals will now be charged Sh3,500 for hosting such events at Menengai Social Hall instead of Sh5,000 as charged last financial year.

In the run up to the general elections next year, holding political meetings at the Old Town Hall  will now be cheaper as parties and individuals using the facility will be charged Sh10,000 instead of Sh15,000.

However, the hiring of Afraha Stadium and other sports grounds in the county the fees have been retained at Sh150,000.

Kenya Premier League clubs using Afraha Stadium will be charged Sh10,000 per match while athletics functions will be charged Sh7,500 per day and netball and volleyball events will be charged Sh4,000.