Kisumu Land Task Force Committee on Saturday, November 24, published a list of 58 defaulters including the family of former vice president Jaramogi Oginga Odinga among those owing the county a total KSh 15 billion.
In a press statement issued on Monday, November 26, the county government apologised to the Odinga family saying the names were erroneously published before the county officers could finish to compile the list.
In a report by the Daily Nation, Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o has now back-peddled on his earlier apology to the Odinga family and insists they have to pay the rates. On Monday, December 24, Odinga’s family was furious after the county confirmed the list was correct and they were required to pay the rates with a 100% waiver on penalties which was advertised in one of the dailies on Wednesday, December 19.
One of the sons , Omondi Odinga, whose family lives of the Milimani estate land said the county chief had confirmed the family owed the devolved unit in land rates.
“We are law-abiding citizens and if they insist that the notice published on November 23 bearing my late father’s name still stands, then we are ready to pay. But if they are playing politics, we shall handle this matter politically as a family,” said Omondi.
County Finance Executive Nerry Achar said the list that had been published previously had a few specific errors but not the entire list was wrong. “The advertisement placed in the newspaper may have just had specific individual errors but not the entire list,” said Achar.