Sany, the dreaded, tiny, green excavator that has been tearing down multi-billion-shilling properties on riparian land and road reserves in the capital Nairobi, has refused to take a Christmas break. At the crack of dawn Thursday, it took its rather undiplomatic rubble venture to leafy the Gigiri suburb, the diplomatic capital of the city.
Excavator demolishing Grand Manor hotel in Gigir i two days after a Nairobi court gave the go-ahead;
The City Hall insists The building erected without approval poses security threat to UNEP offices & US Embassy. @McBarr_Prince @kamadiamata #HabariZaMtaaniRadio pic.twitter.com/MuPQLqLJOO
— KENYA's CHELSEA 001 (@McBarr_Prince) December 13, 2018
Target? The brand-new, multi-million-shilling Grand Manor Hotel owned by businessman Praful Kumar. The demolition comes a day after a Nairobi court issued orders allowing the Nairobi County Government to bring down the property. The court on Tuesday ruled that Mr Kumar’s hotel owned Kumar, which was yet to open its doors, is a security threat to the adjacent United Nations offices.
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. Its proximity to the embassies was among the major reasons for the push to have it brought down.
Gigiri Village Association had also filed a complaint in July 2015, lamenting that erecting a commercial structure in the area violated physical planning regulations for the low-density estate.
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.
Soooo #Sany has visited my neck of the woods bright and early. Woooooiiiiii. pic.twitter.com/OJTNEhVERR
— Caroline Mutoko (@CarolineMutoko) December 13, 2018