Many tenants in Kenya will enjoy rent waiver for April, May and June following the outbreak of coronavirus in the country.
Kenya currently has 172 confirmed cases but six patients have died from the disease with only seven recoveries.
And the Landlords and Tenants Association of Kenya (LATAK) has called for landlords across the country to offer their tenants rent waivers for the three months.
They also requested the government to order a 6-month moratorium on bank loans currently being serviced by landlords.
LATAK wants the measures implemented as soon as possible as part of the country’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Michael Munene, a Nyandarua county landlord, won the admiration of many Kenyans last month after he waived his tenants’ rent for two months.
Some other property owners have followed suit although others continue to issue notices demanding rent arrears.
President Uhuru Kenyatta had pleaded with landlords across Kenya to reduce monthly rent for their tenants following the financial crisis that has been occasioned by the outbreak.
The President, while addressing the nation last Monday, requested the landlords to consider sharing the heavy burden of the current pandemic.
He said he was pleased to see Kenyans stepping up for each other and contributing to help their brothers and sisters in need.
“Those property owners who have reduced or agreed to work terms for the monthly rent in order to provide roofs over the heads of vulnerable brothers and sisters and in this regard, I wish to urge all others to emulate this great example and not put our people in even more vulnerable situations as we face this current pandemic,” said Mr Kenyatta.
