Freemasons deny Nairobi County's Sh19m unpaid land rates claim

Scottish Freemasonry, William Ramsay McGhee, the Grand Master Mason, Grand Lodge of Scotland during the media briefing.[Boniface Okendo, Standard]

The Freemason Society has dismissed claims by Nairobi County government that it owes Sh19 million in unpaid land rates.

Speaking on behalf of the Society, William Ramsay McGhee, Grand Master Mason of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, said the accusations are unfounded.

He said that the property in question is registered under a trust, which he argued exempts it from such laws.

On Wednesday, county officials led by Health CEC Susan Silantoi raided Freemasons’ Hall on Nyerere Road as part of an ongoing countrywide operation targeting land rate defaulters.

According to the county, the campaign seeks to recover Sh10 billion within two months, part of the Sh50 billion in outstanding rates.

However, the society, through McGhee, maintains that the claim is inaccurate.

 Freemason Society. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

During the operation, county officials vowed to take a hardline stance against defaulters, noting that many landowners have ignored the county’s waiver period.

“We have come to start our clampdown. We are clamping plot number 209, which owes the county around four million shillings. We will put a notice on the building that this property belongs to Nairobi City County until all the debt is cleared,” said Njoroge.

The Freemason Society said it is currently in talks with the county government and will issue a joint statement soon.