NAIROBI, Kenya (KAAB TV) – A Kenyan construction company is pushing to auction the Somali Embassy in Nairobi due to an unpaid renovation services debt of KSh 25.6 million (approximately $174,080 USD) dating back to 2016.
On Thursday, a Kenyan court has dismissed Somalia’s appeal to lift an order freezing the Somali embassy’s bank accounts in Nairobi over a debt owed to Kingsley Construction Limited.
High Court judge Alfred Mabeya said the court dismissed Somalia’s request to lift the embassy accounts from the attachment order. The bank account is located at the Premier Bank Limited.
The contractor had sued the embassy for breaching a contract related to the renovation of its premises. Somalia claimed diplomatic immunity and requested freezing of its accounts lifted, but the court ruled that immunity does not cover commercial contracts. The embassy’s accounts remain frozen until the debt is settled.
Despite court rulings and attempts at an out-of-court settlement, the embassy has failed to settle the outstanding balance.
Kingsley Construction Limited is now seeking to recover the funds through the auction of the embassy’s assets.
There are no comments from Somali embassy in Nairobi. The ministry of foreign affairs in Mogadishu did not reply our request for comment on the matter yet.