Details Of Raila's Proposed Ksh516M Luxury Malindi Beach Hotel

Kango Enterprises Limited, where the Azimio la Umoja coalition leader is listed as one of the directors, plans to implement the project about 100 metres from the shoreline.

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Jul 27, 2023 - 12:22 Updated: Jul 27, 2023 - 12:24
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Details Of Raila's Proposed Ksh516M Luxury Malindi Beach Hotel
An image of a beach in Malindi and Raila Odinga (inset) addressing the media on July 25, 2023. /VIRALTEAKE

A company associated with former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, is planning to venture into the hotel and tourism industry through the construction of a luxury hotel in Malindi, Kilifi County.

A report by the Nation on Wednesday, July 26 revealed that the project will be built on a piece of land measuring 4.3 acres, whose ownership was however previously contested.

Kango Enterprises Limited, where the Azimio la Umoja coalition leader is listed as one of the directors, plans to implement the project about 100 metres from the shoreline.

If implemented, the hotel will add to a vibrant tourism sector since Malindi is considered one of Kenya's top tourist destinations, attracting both local and international tourists for its sandy beaches on a coastline bordering the Indian Ocean.

Photo collage of Raila Odinga and a 3D render of the proposed luxury hotel in Malindi created by an AI tool. /NAIROBI NEWS

According to an environmental impact assessment report that was submitted to the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) in June, the hotel will be built at a cost of approximately Ksh515,760,000.

“The proposed establishment will be located within Mayungu locality, which is a famous tourism destination,” outlined the report.

The proposed hotel’s architectural designs indicate plans for an exotic tourism destination complete with a jetty to facilitate sea excursions, with a two-storey block of the hotel and conference hall occupying the largest piece of the 4.3-acre land.

On the first floor of the block, there will be 33 hotel rooms, spa, jacuzzi, sauna and steam rooms with the second floor occupied by a presidential suite and 19 more rooms. The conference hall and other service rooms and offices will take up the ground floor.

The other two-storey buildings in the plan are six blocks of two-bedroom and three-bedroom villas.

The company also plans to construct a standalone presidential villa which will feature three bedrooms, a lounge, dining room, kitchen and gazebo, among other amenities.

“The proposed hotel project is considered to be beneficial as it will improve hotel infrastructure for the area, create employment opportunities, promote businesses, provide income to the proponent, and will be a source of revenue to the government,” the report to NEMA added.

It also identifies a number of negative environmental and social impacts such as loss of vegetation cover, solid waste generation and management and increased water and energy demand, among others as well as proposed mitigation measures during the project’s entire cycle.

Kango Enterprises was facing legal battles against British citizen John Presser Unsworth (now deceased) over the land’s ownership, with Raila in 2011 testifying at the Malindi High Court that he bought the land from former Malindi mayor Frederic Kazungu Diwani.

The court was informed that Diwani later sold the same land fraudulently to Unsworth, with Diwani admitting to the offence and resultantly fined Ksh800,000 in 2009.

On August 5, 2022, a judgment was ruled in favour of the company, requiring Unsworth’s kin to vacate the land.

On June 9, a Gazette notice was published notifying the public that a new title deed would be issued to Kango Enterprises.

A beach in Malindi. /AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK

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