A recent ruling by the Environment and Land Court in Malindi highlights how commercial tenants in Kenya can face substantial financial penalties for lease breaches, beyond just failing to pay rent.

• A tenant was ordered to pay Ksh21.9 million, including costs and interest, for violating lease terms.
• The dispute involved a landlord accusing the tenant of non-payment of utilities and unauthorized structural alterations to the premises.
• The ruling emphasizes that tenants must actively defend their claims in court with evidence, not just deny allegations, to avoid losing significant sums.