Dusit says 4 staff members killed in terror attack on the hotel

The Management of DusitD2 Hotel has said it lost four members of staff in the terror attack at the 14 Riverside Complex on Tuesday.

Three other staff members were badly wounded in the attack and are recuperating in various hospitals in the city.

General Manager Michael Metaxas told a media briefing in Nairobi on Thursday that 100 employees were on duty on the fateful day but declined to give details of the total number of guests at the hotel during the attack.

“Our resident guests have been relocated to nearby hotels because we have suspended our operations until further notice,” Mr Metaxas said during the press conference at Kempinski Hotel, Nairobi.

On Tuesday, one of the Hotel’s staff told Capital FM that he knew one of the attackers because of a big scar on one of his hands.

“"I knew one of them because he had a big scar on one of his hands," Reuben Kimani said. "I saw them. They shot six of my friends, four did not die but two succumbed.”

While Mr Metaxas confirmed that the waiter was a member of his staff, he however denied the claim that the attacker was known to the has an establishment, saying it was simply not easy for the hotel to know all the patrons who go through its doors.

“I can’t confirm that the terrorist was either known to us or was a frequent patron at the Hotel,” the GM said. “I cannot confirm knowing all guests who come to our Hotel, especially when they are non- residents. In fact, you can’t ask me to confirm something on behalf of somebody.”

There have also been information that the terrorists targeted the hotel because on the fateful day it was playing host to high international conferences that would make it attractive to such attacks.

While he confirmed that some conferences were being hosted at the Hotel on that day, he dismissed the idea that they could have attracted the attacks because “there is no evidence” that the attacks were directed at dusitD2 Hotel.

He also denied that the Hotel management had received intelligence information on the impending attack.

“The meetings at the Hotel had nothing to do with the attacks because we were not the target. The shooting was random, directed at all the buildings at the complex.”

The management thanked all the security forces and humanitarian agencies involved in the rescue operations for their rapid response and swift containment of the situation.

“We are truly and eternally grateful for their courage and for putting their lives at risk in saving others.”