Kajiado North Residents Win Land Tax Case, Court Throws Out County Levy
Sheria Mtaani, led by Shadrack Wambui, Danstan Omari, Stanley Kinyanjui, and Wanjiku Waithira, was applauded by the residents for its efforts to fight for their rights, which led to the seminal ruling overturning the bill.
The residents of Kajiado North Constituency have a reason to celebrate after the Environment and Labour Court in Kajiado dismissed the bill that was passed by the county Government requiring them to pay tax for their lands.
Gathering at Matasia Shopping Center, the residents, accompanied by their lawyers, celebrated the win, saying the area Member of Parliament has abandoned them since he was behind the bill.
The County government had passed a law requiring residents with freehold title deeds to pay taxes on their lands.
Sheria Mtaani, led by Shadrack Wambui, Danstan Omari, Stanley Kinyanjui, and Wanjiku Waithira, was applauded by the residents for its efforts to fight for their rights, which led to the seminal ruling overturning the bill.
Omari, Sheria Mtaani Patron, expressed gratitude to the court, noting that justice had prevailed since the court acknowledged the exploitation of residents and brought the actions to an end.
Speaking to the residents, Wambui, who is eying to vie for the area Member of Parliament in the coming election, said that the County Government aimed to defraud the residents of their properties,
“We said to defend the residents of Kajiado North who were being stolen by the same people they elected and the court has confirmed by overturning the decision by the county because it was unlawful,” Wambui said.
He stated that the County’s decision to pave the way for such a law was illegal, as the residents were not allowed to provide their opinions. The lawyer pointed his finger at the area MP Onesmus Ngogoyo for abandoning the people who elected him and assured them he would stand in the gap supporting them.
The residents were supposed to pay the said taxes annually, whereas those in businesses had been paying taxes to the government, which would be double taxation.
Wanjiku condemned the County government for ignoring its people by failing to include them in such decisions.
Kinyanjui, who is also the CEO of Sheria Mtaani, said he joined the matter to make sure the weak have their rights.
