Lake Basin Mall is built on an expansive 80-acre piece of land.
The construction of the billion-shilling shopping complex was conceived in the early 80s but it failed to take off until 2013.
Some of the tenants include the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), Bata, Sameer Africa and American hotel chain Best Western.
Western Kenya’s biggest shopping complex is now open to the public even as it seeks an anchor tenant after Tuskys Supermarket withdrew from talks last year.
The Sh4.2 billion Lake Basin Mall has been built on an expansive 80-acre piece of land that it says has attained 30 per cent occupancy.
Some of the tenants include the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), Bata, Sameer Africa and American hotel chain Best Western which has occupied the six-floor facility belonging to the Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA).
“We are negotiating with two other supermarkets after Tuskys withdrew from the deal and moved to a new space that was formerly occupied by Nakumatt in the CBD,” said acting LBDA Managing Director Dr Evans Atera on Friday.
He pointed out that the three-star hotel will have 43 rooms and will complement the shopping mall which presents job opportunities for local residents.
It was built via partnership between LBDA and a developer on a 20:80 basis respectively.
The project, which has been at the centre of a political row over unpaid debts, has 335 parking spaces situated at the basement and a bio-digester which will enable recycling of water.
Additional features of the 60,000 square metre property also include a doctor’s plaza, an amphitheatre and a children’s playing section, 140 shops and show rooms, said the LBDA boss.
“The building has also been fitted with five-lifts at different areas and escalators which will serve the tenants and the clients who will visit the mall situated at Mamboleo area, along the Kisumu-Kakamega highway.”
The mall's outdoor amphitheatre. Photo | Tonny Omondi | NMG
Row
The construction of the billion-shilling shopping complex was conceived in the early 80s but it failed to take off until 2013.
Godfrey Mwangi, who is in charge of technical services at LBDA, said the mall is expected generate at least Sh30 million per month in rent collections.
The management of LBDA has organised a two-day event to showcase it to the public where tenants will also have a chance to interact with customers.
The mall has been mired in controversy with local leaders accusing the national government of deliberately delaying handover of the project to LBDA over accrued debt owed to Cooperative Bank #ticker:COOP, which was the project's financier.
