NMS steps up collection of house data

Major General Mohamed Abdala Badi. PHOTO | PSCU

By COLLINS OMULO
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Summary

• Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS) has stepped up inventory of all county rental houses in Nairobi, a move aimed at having accurate data as well as enhancing revenue collection.
• The house stock-taking exercise, which is being undertaken by NMS’ Directorate of Housing, will go om until December 17, 2021.
• The inventory exercise seeks to identify and map out all county rental houses as well as verify tenants residing in the said houses.

Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS) has stepped up inventory of all county rental houses in Nairobi, a move aimed at having accurate data as well as enhancing revenue collection.

The house stock-taking exercise, which is being undertaken by NMS’ Directorate of Housing, will go om until December 17, 2021.

The inventory exercise seeks to identify and map out all county rental houses as well as verify tenants residing in the said houses.

According to the Lieutenant Mohamed Badi-led administration, the exercise will ensure accurate data is captured to ensure proper service delivery to tenants.

Further, the data will be uploaded onto the newly-launched Nairobi Revenue Services (NRS) system to enable tenants access payment options with ease while guiding NMS on housing and development decisions on feedback collated.

“The house stocking exercise continues until December 17, 2021 to cover the county’s, 16,700 housing units,” said NMS in a statement.

As part of the exercise, occupants of the rental houses will be expected to provide original and copies of the national identity card, rental or tenancy transfer letter, KRA pin, latest payment receipt and any other relevant documents.

The new enumeration is a continuation of the inventory exercise that began in May this year with NMS collaborating with City Hall and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

As part of the initial exercise, the NMS Director General said all 360 houses in Outering Estate were numerated as well as another 382 in Buruburu Estate.

At the same time, the inventory will also assist NMS to identify the houses that will be affected once the Affordable Housing Programme Phase two commences.

“NMS has embarked on a robust project to give the estates a facelift including renovations and paint works including 760 units in Kariobangi South, Buruburu, Jamhuri Estate and Kariokor,” said NMS.

In Kariokor Estate, the exercise is being undertaken in collaboration with the area MCA through the Ward Development Fund.

In the current financial year ending June 30, 2022, NMS has earmarked 884 housing units in Uhuru Estate for renovations as well as 360 housing units in Outering Estate.

As of 2019, records from the County Government revealed that there were 16,746 county-owned houses.

However, it was noted that the tenants have failed to pay rent to City Hall over the years which has impacted negatively in revenue collection.

The tenants pay between Sh2,000 and Sh20,000 monthly rent depending on the location. In May 2019, it was revealed that City Hall is owed a whopping Sh224 million by tenants living in the county houses across the capital.