City Hall finally gets the nod to complete demolition of Grand Manor Hotel
The Court of Appeal on Monday issued orders allowing the Nairobi County Government to finish demolishing the multi-million worth Grand Manor hotel situated in the upmarket area of Gigiri.
The court ruled that the hotel, owned by businessman Praful Kumar, is a security threat to the adjacent United Nations offices.
SECURITY THREAT
The owner of the building had in January obtained orders blocking further demolition of the premises.
Foreign missions have in the past written to City Hall and the Foreign Affairs ministry to protest its construction.
The property is situated opposite the US Embassy on one side, and the UN head offices on the other side.
On its left, is the High Commission of Botswana and on the right is the Embassy of Morocco stretching to its backyard.
Gigiri Village Association had also filed a complaint in July 2015, saying construction of a commercial structure in the area violated physical planning regulations for the low-density estate.
BRIBERY CHARGES
The controversy surrounding the doomed hotel hit headlines in August after Mr Kumar was arrested by anti-corruption detectives in Kilifi on claims that that he intended to bribe Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko not to demolish the property.
Mr Kumar is said to have gone to meet Sonko with a Sh 5 million offer to allow the hotels’ expansion before detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission pounced on him.
The businessman was on August 24, 2019 charged with three counts of bribery before Senior Principal Magistrate Henry Nyakweba.
He denied the charges and is out on Sh1 million bond.