Migori County Government has given owners of idle plots in the Central Business District (CBD) notice to update their records and develop the properties or risk having them repossessed and leased to other investors.
The county says the move is part of measures to boost own-source revenue as it targets Sh1.2 billion in the current financial year.
Migori County Director of Revenue Maurice Oindo said the county lacked accurate and up-to-date information on a large number of plots, making it difficult to establish their ownership status and whether the registered owners were still alive or active.
Mr Oindo urged plot owners who have not updated their records to visit county revenue offices at the sub-county level and provide the necessary documentation.
He warned that the county could treat plots whose ownership details remain unverified as vacant and consider repossessing and leasing them to other members of the public willing to develop them.
“We have many people who have a county plot and a county card, but we don’t have information or data. We don’t know who is alive and who is not there,” Mr Oindo said.
He said undeveloped plots were denying the county an important source of revenue because the properties generate little or no income in the form of business permits, rates and other charges.
Mr Oindo said the county’s revenue collection had grown steadily in recent years, rising from Sh386 million in 2022 to Sh407 million in 2023, Sh512 million in 2024 and Sh709 million in 2025.
He said the county had so far collected Sh893 million in 2026, putting it on course towards the Sh1.2 billion target.
Mr Oindo attributed the growth to measures introduced by the current administration to widen the county’s revenue base and improve compliance.
He, however, said achieving the Sh1.2 billion target would require greater cooperation from residents and businesses.
“It is a big target, but it is achievable with the cooperation of the people of Migori County,” he said.
He said failure by businesses and individuals to pay county charges was affecting the implementation of development projects and contributing to the accumulation of pending bills.
According to Mr Oindo, the county relies heavily on locally collected revenue to finance services and development projects.
He also criticised individuals, including unnamed politicians, who he said were discouraging residents from paying county taxes and other charges for political reasons.
Warning over fake building plan approvals
The county has also warned residents against individuals purporting to have the authority to approve building plans outside official county offices.
Mr Oindo said some former and current county employees were allegedly moving around construction sites claiming to facilitate or approve building plans and demanding money from developers.
He urged residents and property developers to submit their building plans to the relevant sub-county county offices for approval and avoid making payments to individuals.
“All our monies are being paid into the bank. Visit our sub-county offices. They will tell you how much to pay,” he said.
Residents making payments through M-Pesa were advised to present the transaction message at the county office so that it can be printed and attached to their building plans.
Those paying through banks should provide a copy of the bank deposit slip for attachment to the plans.
Mr Oindo warned developers against giving money to individuals at construction sites, saying official county payments should only be made through the approved payment channels.
The warning comes as the county seeks to seal revenue leakages and ensure that all payments due to the devolved unit are properly accounted for.
Food handlers urged to obtain health certificates
The county has further urged food handlers and businesses dealing with food to obtain valid health certificates as required by public health regulations.
Mr Oindo said operators of eateries, hotels, bars, schools and other establishments handling food should ensure their workers have the required health documentation.
He said public health officers based at sub-county hospitals and dispensaries were available to facilitate the issuance and renewal of health certificates.
The county is also calling on businesses operating in the hospitality and food sectors to comply with public health requirements as part of efforts to improve safety standards while expanding the county’s revenue base.
Mr Oindo said the county’s revenue mobilisation campaign would cover all sectors, including businesses, markets, property owners, boda boda operators and other revenue-paying groups.
He said increased revenue collection was necessary to enable the county government to finance development projects and meet its financial obligations.
The director appealed to residents to cooperate with the county by paying the required charges and updating their records.
“We want to collect revenue from all sectors because we are doing development everywhere. Those developments are financed by the revenue that we are collecting,” he said.
He said the county’s Sh1.2 billion target could only be achieved if taxpayers fulfilled their obligations and the county continued closing loopholes that contribute to revenue losses.
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