MPs Call for Crackdown on Rogue Auctioneers Using Goons
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Members of Parliament have demanded stronger action against rogue auctioneers accused of using goons and excessive force while executing property seizures.
During a session on Wednesday, August 19, the Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education warned that weak enforcement could leave members of the public vulnerable to intimidation, abuse and financial losses.
The committee, chaired by Luanda MP Dick Maungu, questioned the Auctioneers Licensing Board over its regulatory performance during scrutiny of Auditor-General reports covering the financial years 2018/19 to 2024/25.
It pressed the board to explain how it was dealing with unlicensed and rogue auctioneers, particularly practitioners accused of engaging gangs to enforce their assignments.
Maungu said the board needed to restore order in the auctioneering sector and ensure that legitimate professionals were clearly distinguished from individuals operating outside the law.
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"You will agree with me that we have quack lawyers, so you also have quack auctioneers," he said.
The committee also questioned the use of unauthorised individuals during the execution of warrants, with MPs raising concerns that some auctioneers allegedly relied on goons to intimidate or overpower people whose property was being seized.
Members said auctioneers should conduct their duties within the law and warned that enforcement of debts or court orders should not be turned into an opportunity for harassment, intimidation or unlawful loss of property.
Auctioneers Licensing Board Chief Executive Officer Festus Terer said the regulator had been engaging the police leadership to ensure auctioneers used lawful security mechanisms instead of private gangs.
He said he met Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja in May alongside several board members to discuss challenges affecting the profession.
Terer added that the board had sensitised auctioneers on the need to involve the police where necessary instead of relying on force or unauthorised groups.
"We want auctioneers to use police, not goons," Terer told the committee.
Terer told MPs that the board had intensified inspections of auctioneers as part of efforts to identify and remove rogue practitioners from the industry.
He said an inspection exercise conducted in June exposed several compliance gaps, including cases involving auctioneers who lacked proper offices.
According to Terer, some practitioners sought the board's intervention after inspections revealed that their registered addresses did not meet requirements.
"It was a one-week event, but after three days, a lot of auctioneers were streaming to our offices because they don't have offices, asking for change of addresses," he added.
Terer described inspections as an important tool for identifying practitioners who were not complying with regulatory requirements.
Maungu said stronger regulation would protect members of the public while also safeguarding legitimate auctioneers whose reputation and businesses were being damaged by rogue practitioners.
The committee also called for a broader approach involving inspections, cooperation with the police, disciplinary action and effective compensation mechanisms to ensure victims of unlawful conduct have access to meaningful redress.
MPs said the effectiveness of the regulator should ultimately be measured not only by its ability to discipline rogue auctioneers but also by its capacity to prevent misconduct and protect Kenyans from losses.
This comes weeks after the Nairobi County Government, through the Nairobi Revenue Authority (NRA), launched a crackdown on land rate defaulters.
In a public notice on Thursday, July 30, NRA said the crackdown targets property owners with unpaid land rates that have remained outstanding for over three years, together with accrued penalties and interest.
"The Nairobi Revenue Authority (NRA) has initiated immediate debt recovery proceedings targeting property owners with outstanding land rates unpaid for over three years, alongside accrued penalties and interest," the statement read.
NRA appointed six debt recovery firms to pursue property owners who have failed to pay land rates.
The recovery firms include: Siuma Auctioneers, Prysis Solutions Limited, Jephys Auctioneers, Boresha Credit Services Limited, Quest Holdings Limited and AFS Holdings Limited.
The firms will oversee debt recovery operations across Nairobi's six boroughs, with Siuma Auctioneers handling the Western borough, which includes Westlands, Dagoretti South and Dagoretti North.
The Northern borough will be handled by Prysis Solutions Limited while Jephys Auctioneers will oversee recovery operations in the Central Borough.
NRA appointed Boresha Credit Services Limited to the South Eastern Borough, Quest Holdings Limited to the Eastern Borough and AFS Holdings Limited to the Southern Borough.
The authority warned defaulting property owners that failure to clear the outstanding arrears will trigger enforcement action without further notice.
"Property owners in default are warned that failure to settle arrears immediately will trigger enforcement actions without further notice.
"Under the National Rating Act 2024, enforcement measures may include property attachment and auction, Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) listing, and other statutory recovery actions," the statement added.
Reporting originally appeared via Nairobi Leo. Read the full source for additional context.