Nairobi County has closed Freemasons’ Hall due to a land rate debt of Ksh19 million.
Nairobi County officials have taken stern action against the iconic Freemasons’ Hall in the city, shutting it down over a land rate debt amounting to Ksh19 million. The move marks an ongoing countywide campaign targeting property owners who have defaulted on land payments.
The enforcement was carried out on Wednesday, May 14, under the leadership of Revenue Team Leader Suzanne Silantoi and Chief Officer for Revenue Lydia Mathia. The team clamped down on the building, stressing that the operation is part of a broader plan to recover long-overdue county revenue.
County: Due Process Was Followed
Speaking during the closure, Silantoi stated that all required legal steps had been followed before action was taken. She explained that the county had issued demand letters and even ran public notices asking landowners to clear pending land rates, but Freemasons’ Hall failed to respond.
“This property has an outstanding land rates balance of over Ksh19 million. We issued all the required notices. Our next step includes disconnecting essential services like water and sewer for persistent defaulters,” she said.
Services to Be Cut for Other Defaulters
Silantoi noted that the county won’t just clamp down on properties but will also take further steps to disconnect utilities where necessary. This, she said, would serve as a warning to other landowners in default.
Her sentiments were echoed by Chief Officer Lydia Mathia, who made it clear that the law supports their actions. She mentioned that the operation, though tough on tenants, is within legal boundaries.
“Disconnecting services is part of the enforcement. If you haven’t paid land rates, you can’t enjoy county services. We understand that tenants may suffer, but this results from landlords neglecting their obligations,” said Mathia.
MPs Also Affected in Similar Revenue Crackdown
This clampdown isn’t isolated. Days earlier, Members of Parliament found themselves locked out of their offices and parking at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) due to a rent debt running into tens of millions.
In a letter dated May 9, the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) admitted it owed KICC over Ksh50 million. The letter addressed to KICC CEO James Mwaura confirmed that while the PSC had paid some previous arrears, current delays were due to cash flow and budget constraints.
“We’ve paid Ksh134 million this financial year already—Ksh73 million for 2023/2024 and another Ksh61 million by December 2024,” read the letter.
The PSC urged KICC to allow continued use of office and parking facilities at the COMESA grounds while they worked on settling the remaining amount.
County Warns More Clampdowns Coming
The latest action by Nairobi County is part of a growing campaign to push all landowners to honour their financial responsibilities. Officials have warned that more properties will face similar enforcement if outstanding dues are not cleared. With key public and private institutions already affected, the county’s revenue drive seems to be gaining serious ground.
