Kenya, May 21 -- Nairobi County's Chief Officer for Environment, Geoffrey Mosiria, announced that the KSh 10 million debt in land rates owed by Neno Evangelism Centre has been cancelled after discussions with his team.

This news follows a public disagreement between the county government and the church's leader, Pastor James Ng'ang'a, about the unpaid fees for the church's property on Haile Selassie Avenue.

Mosiria explained this decision in a statement on X. He stressed that the county did not close down the church, which some reports had suggested.

He said, "Our job is not to stop the gospel. Neno Evangelism Center was not closed down as other media stated. Our team was only there to check on unpaid fees. We are happy to say the church's debt has been waived."

The decision came after Pastor Ng'ang'a publicly defended the church. He pointed out a previous order from former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko that freed religious buildings, like churches and mosques, from land rates.

Ng'ang'a challenged the county, asking for a formal letter to cancel Sonko's waiver, saying that the KSh 10 million amount was not much for him.

He stated in a popular video, "Send me a letter saying the waiver by Mike Sonko is canceled. I'm not refusing to pay."

Former Governor Sonko supported Ng'ang'a, confirming that his order is still valid unless officially canceled by the current leaders.

The issue became more serious when Mosiria visited the church on Monday to deliver a notice about the unpaid fees. Ng'ang'a accused the county of harassment because of this visit.

Mosiria mentioned that the church had also met other requirements, such as getting a Unified Business Permit (UBP) for a restaurant on its property.

He denied any claims of closing down the church, saying the visit was just to discuss the land rates.

The choice to cancel the fees is part of Nairobi County's efforts to collect money while being considerate to religious organizations, as they work to recover billions in unpaid land rates from property owners in the city.

This decision has caused mixed reactions online. Netizens praised the county for being lenient, while others questioned if it was fair to waive fees for specific organizations.

For now, the situation seems to have calmed down, but it highlights the ongoing issues between Nairobi County's need for revenue and property owners' responsibilities.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.