COVID-19: Senate pushing for rent reduction

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Nairobi senator Johnson Sakaja who is set to pay 15,000 over flouting COVID-19 rules PHOTO COURTESY

The Senate ADHOC committee on Corona Virus is pushing for rent reduction across the country as the Coronavirus pandemic continues to ravage parts of the country.

In a media briefing at parliamentary buildings, the ADHOC committee chair on Coronavirus Johnson Sakaja said that the committee has resolved to meet the National coordination steering committee on Coronavirus and other relevant ministries to deliberate on a rent reduction proposal due to the economic hardships brought about by the virus.

“In the coming week, we will be meeting with the National coordination and steering committee to discuss emerging issues brought about by Coronavirus, “Sakaja said.

He said that the committee will pursue the matter via the steering committee to make sure that a tax waiver for landlords is implemented on condition that it trickles down to the tenants in form of a rent waiver.

“These issues include reprieve on taxation of frontline health workers, waiving payments of rental taxes by landlords consideration on the amounts to be paid by the tenants,” Sakaja said.

The committee earlier received 88 proposals from Kenyans touching on pressing problems affecting them during this period.

Other issues that are to be discussed include the provision of food in the informal settlements and consistent provision of water and power.

In terms of The COVID -19, Sakajja said that the committee is still monitoring the distribution of masks, Quarantine and treatment centers.

The chair also said that there is the need to set modalities to make sure that traders sell essential goods especially foodstuffs to avert looming hunger in various towns across the country amid the curfew and restraint of movements in the counties of Kilifi, Mombasa, Kwale, and Nairobi.

179 people have so far tested positive for the virus in the country with the government imposing a nationwide curfew and a partial lockdown in the Nairobi metropolitan area and Kwale, Mombasa and Kilifi counties.

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