The Nairobi County operation to recover up to Sh50 billion in outstanding land rates from defaulters entered its second day on Wednesday, with the Grand Lodge of East Africa's Freemasons' Hall being among the buildings targeted.
The enforcement operation that was led by County Executive Committee member for Health, Suzanne Silantoi, stated that the county would only remove its demand notice upon the payment of the debts.
Nairobi County officials raid Freemasons Hall over Sh19m land rate debt
“We are here to collect our land rates as part of the larger movement to make sure that we all comply. This will ensure that, as Nairobi County, we are able to provide services,” Ms Silantoi said.
She was accompanied by the Chief Officer from the office of Governor Johnson Sakaja, Priscillah Mahinda, and Chief Officer for Affordable Housing Lydia Mathia, among other officials.
Nairobi County Council team at the Freemasons Hall along Processional Way, Nairobi on May 14, 2025.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
According to Ms Silantoi, the county has about 250,000 parcels of land, out of which nearly 50,000 have been paying their rates.
“We want to be fair to all Nairobians so that everybody pays for the services that they are rendered for. It is not fair that the saloons in the market will pay cess while landlords don’t,” Ms Silantoi said.
The county minister also said that the county will start to disconnect water and other services from the buildings and houses that have defaulted over the years.
“We will not only be clamping properties belonging to defaulters, but we are also moving to disconnect services such as water and sewer lines where necessary.”
A plaque at Freemasons Hall along Processional Way, Nairobi on May 14, 2025.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
While launching the operation on Tuesday, the Revenue Chief Officer Tiras Njoroge said that they are going to be merciless this year, adding that their waiver period has been ignored by hundreds of land owners.
“We have come to start our clampdown activity. We are clamping down on the plot number 209, which owes the county around four million shillings. We are going to put on the building that this building belongs to Nairobi City County until all the debts have been cleared,” Mr Njoroge said.
Nairobi County Council team, led by Health CEC Suzanne Silantoi, at the Freemasons Hall along Processional Way, Nairobi on May 14, 2025.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
Mr Njoroge had stated that land owners who have defaulted should expect officials from the county who will be demanding for payment going forward with the intention of collecting not less than Sh10 billion in the next two months.
“We are going to get into the buildings, we are going to register all the tenants into our NairobiPay system, and we are going to teach them how to make payments. We expect them to remit their rent every single month to Nairobi City Government until these properties are fully paid up.”
Nairobi County Council team at the Freemasons Hall along Processional Way, Nairobi on May 14, 2025.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
Ms Silantoi added that the operation will continue on Thursday in all part of the county, stating that she will lead the operation in Dagoretti area.
The amount that the county is targeting to collect, Sh10 billion, is almost the total amount that the county raises annually from Own Source Revenue.
In total, the county says it is owed a total of Sh50 billion in unpaid land rates.
