Freemasons hall shut down in Nairobi over Sh19 million debt

The Nairobi County Government on Wednesday, May 14, shut down the iconic Freemasons’ Hall along Nyerere Road over a staggering Ksh19 million land rates debt.

Led by Nairobi Health CEC Suzanne Silantoi, the county’s Revenue Department stormed the Grand Lodge of East Africa in a high-profile operation, locking out members and staff of the secretive society.

The clampdown was part of a citywide crackdown on land rate defaulters, a campaign the county says is long overdue.

“This particular premises owes Nairobi County over Ksh19 million in land rates arrears,” Silantoi.

The CEC declared during the raid, adding that notices and demand letters had previously been issued but ignored.

Flanked by Chief Officer Priscilla Mahinda and Chief Officer for Housing Lydia Mathia, the county team maintained that every legal channel had been exhausted before resorting to the dramatic closure.

The officials warned that such enforcement actions were only the beginning.

“This is not just about padlocking buildings,” Silantoi said. “We are moving to disconnect services, including water and sewer lines, to all persistent defaulters.”

The Freemasons’ Hall, a landmark structure known for its discreet yet elaborate events and rituals, has long drawn public intrigue.

It serves as a spiritual and administrative hub for local Freemasonry members, whose meetings often revolve around moral philosophy, community service, and symbolic rituals.

But despite its enigmatic allure and prestigious legacy, the hall has now become a cautionary tale in Nairobi’s growing revenue war.

City Hall revealed that out of 256,000 registered land parcels, only 50,000 are up to date with their land rates, a deficit that has crippled service delivery amid ballooning wage bills.

Just a day earlier, Nairobi County shut down four commercial buildings in the CBD over unpaid rent, with Receiver of Revenue Tiras Njoroge warning that many more closures were imminent.

“We gave them time. We gave them notices. But they failed to show goodwill,” Njoroge said. “This is now a matter of accountability.”