The management was on August 16 given a 14-day notice, up to August 30, by a multi-sectoral committee on unsafe buildings to bring down the six-floor building, said to be standing on a road reserve.
But the manager of the multi-billion shilling property, Amos Mogire said they do not recognise the notice signed by the multi-sectoral committee chaired by Moses Nyakiongora, claiming that it had no letterhead, no LR number and no stamp.
The management of Airgate Centre, formerly Taj Mall, has remained defiant over the impending demolition of the property, saying they will not move. The deadline for the demolition of the building expired on Wednesday.
The proprietor of the development, Rameshchandra Govino Gorasia was on August 16 given a 14-day notice, up to August 30, by a multi-sectoral committee on unsafe buildings to bring down the six-floor building, said to be standing on a road reserve.
But the manager of the multi-billion shilling property, Amos Mogire said they do not recognise the notice signed by the multi-sectoral committee chaired by Moses Nyakiongora, claiming that it had no letterhead, no LR number and no stamp.
Mr Nyakiongora said the building situated in Embakassi has encroached on the Outer Ring Road reserve hindering its continual expansion.
“For us it is business as usual as we are continuing with our business. We are still operational and we have not even moved our offices,” said Mr Mogire yesterday at the premises.
But even in the face of the defiance exhibited by the managers, it is not rosy at the once booming property that had tenants jostling for space.
A spot check by Business Daily on Tuesday established that it was only one business, on the first floor, that was still in operation.
RAMS supermarket had its doors open and although there were some customers, it was evident business was very low as there was only one cashier manning the three supermarket tills.
The manager acknowledged that the issuance of the notice had hit them hard as they lost 30 tenants.
who were renting the facility at the time.
Mr Mogire said they had tenants including Bata, M Global Gym, food courts, Mater Hospital, among others.
He also added that another seven, who had already paid for deposit to start occupying the property by start of September withdrew.
“A pharmacy that was to start that same day told us they could not. The seven companies that had paid deposits and were to start left and some have started demanding for refund of their deposits,” he said.
Mr Gorasia who two weeks ago addressed the media seemingly unfazed by the happenings and even daring the government to bring down the building said he was not ready to comment until Monday next week when he will issue a comprehensive statement.
There have been protracted attempts by different government agencies to have the building removed from a section of the four-acre piece of land on which it stands allegedly because it was public land.
Trouble at the imposing building that sits at the intersection of Nairobi's Outering Road and Eastern Bypass, and officially opened in 2011, started after an order to move the building through a notice by Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) dated April 10 2012, was delivered at the building, after which a subsequent letter on May 14 the same year seemed to give some leeway.
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