The Freemason Society in Nairobi has denied reports by Nairobi County that it has not paid over Sh19 million in land rates.
The society responded after some county officials went to the Freemason Hall along Nyerere Road to clamp the building.
This is an exercise where the county erects notices at the entrance of properties and lands that the owners have not paid land rates.
The notices by the county on the Freemason’s entrance indicate that they have not paid up to Sh19,236,000.
But in an address led by William Ramsay McGhee, the Grand Master Mason, Grand Lodge of Scotland, who is in the country on official duties, said the property is registered under a trust that protects them from being subjected to county laws.
“The matter has been passed to the legal advisors and we are waiting for the outcome of that, but as you can see we are active as normal,” Ramsay responded when asked about the tiff with Nairobi County.
The society added that they are currently in talks with the county so as to iron out the matter.
In a communication, the county said the Freemasons’ Hall was clamped following due process, including the issuance of demand notices and public warnings. It said the law permits the county to disconnect services for non-compliant property owners.
It is reported that, out of approximately 256,000 parcels of land registered in Nairobi, only 50,000 are currently up to date with their land rates, representing a compliance rate of just 20 per cent.
According to the city county government, it stands to recover up to Sh10 billion in unpaid land rates.
The government said property owners who are in arrears will have their buildings marked, clamped, and notices issued to tenants, advising them to redirect rent payments to its revenue account until the debts are cleared.
