The Nairobi County Government has clamped the iconic Freemasons’ Hall in the city center over unpaid land rates totaling KSh 19 million, as part of a wider crackdown on rate defaulters across the capital.
The enforcement operation, conducted on Tuesday, was led by Revenue Team Leader Suzanne Silantoi and Chief Officer for Revenue Lydia Mathia. The action signals a firm stance by the county against property owners defaulting on statutory payments.
“This particular premises owes Nairobi County over Sh19 million in land rates arrears,” said Silantoi during the clampdown. “We are not only clamping properties, but also moving to disconnect essential services such as water and sewer lines where necessary.”
County officials confirmed that the Grand Lodge of East Africa’s Freemasons’ Hall was clamped following a series of legal steps, including the issuance of demand notices and publication of warnings in local newspapers.
“Before any enforcement, we follow due process,” Silantoi emphasized. “We notify landowners and publish the notices publicly. When they fail to respond, we act.”
Chief Officer Mathia acknowledged the potential inconvenience to tenants but defended the measures as legally justified.
“Disconnection of services is within our legal mandate,” she said. “If property owners fail to meet their obligations, they cannot expect to benefit from county services. It’s unfortunate that tenants may bear the brunt of their landlords’ negligence.”
The clampdown comes amid alarming figures from the county’s revenue department. Out of approximately 256,000 registered land parcels in Nairobi, only about 50,000 are up to date with their land rate payments—representing a compliance rate of just 20 percent.
Nairobi County continues to battle mounting financial challenges, including a growing wage bill, stalled development projects, and service delivery shortfalls. Officials say enhanced compliance with land rate payments is critical to turning around the city’s deteriorating fiscal position.
“We are determined to recover what is owed to the county,” said Silantoi. “This is just the beginning.”
