Ruto proposes stamp-duty waiver on land deals worth Sh1 million or less

President William Ruto has announced that the National Treasury has developed proposals to exempt land transactions valued at Sh1 million or less from stamp duty, with progressive rates applying to higher-value deals, as part of a package of tax measures unveiled at the Mashujaa Day celebrations at Kipchoge Stadium in Eldoret.

Ruto said the change is intended to "reduce the cost of acquiring and transferring land, especially for citizens at the bottom of the pyramid," adding that it would strengthen every Kenyan's ability to own property. The proposal was announced alongside a plan to exempt workers earning Sh32,333 a month or less from Pay-As-You-Earn income tax entirely, a threshold above the roughly Sh30,000 relief the government had been working on since June, itself an increase from Sh24,000.

"For workers on modest incomes, every shilling saved means more money for food, transport, school expenses, and the needs of their families," Ruto said.

The President said the necessary legislative, fiscal and administrative processes would follow, "with attention to sustainable financing, transparency, and effective implementation." The two tax measures were part of a wider Mashujaa Day package that also includes moves to remove the 25 percent import duty on mobile phones and a promise to absorb an additional 50,000 young Kenyans into the National Internship Programme from January 2027.

Land transfer costs have been a recurring complaint in Kenya's property market, where stamp duty, valuation fees and registration charges add to the upfront cost of formal transactions and are often cited as a drag on titling and mortgage uptake. The Treasury proposals would need parliamentary approval before taking effect.