The controversy and business struggles surrounding Airgate Center, formerly Taj Mall, located in Nairobi's Embakasi Estate have evidently taken a serious toll on the owner.
The owner, Ramesh Gorasi, on Thursday, made an emotional address to the public giving up on the multi-million investment that has been vacated by several tenants.
This is after a multi-agency committee on unsafe buildings in a notice gave owners and tenants of Taj Mall up to August 30 to vacate the building to allow its demolition.
[caption caption="The Taj Mall building lies on a road reserve (PHOTO/COURTESY)"]
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A few days ago, the owner cleared DP William Ruto's name from the suspicion that he owned the building.
The businessman has since expressed his frustration with the looming destruction of the investment to a point that he stated that authorities can go ahead and flatten the mall.
"If they still believe they want to proceed with demolition, they can continue. If my bad luck is there, God will punish me, I don't know whether there is something bad I have done. Maybe this Mall is on the unlucky side of my life.
"It is better it goes so that I can do something else. It has been five years now and I am tired of these things. Demolition! Demolition! Everyday! If you have to demolish, demolish it completely," stated the angered Gorasia.
He revealed that he had lost at least Kshs3 Billion in rent over the years urging those intending to destroy it not to simply spoil the mall but completely clear it once they decide to proceed with the plan.
Gorasia, however, sent a passionate appeal to President Uhuru Kenyatta asking him to consider sparing the building.
He says it'll be better if the mall is handed over for public use as a market, school or higher learning institution instead of destroying it.
He considers that if the mall is destroyed, he will still go to court seeking compensation regardless of the many years it would take to settle the matter.
"This is not something you just wake up one night and own, you can imagine how much work I have done to have this kind of an investment, It is Ksh5.5 Billion in valuation, there is loss of rental revenue on top of that,
"Bwana Uhuru, my president I request you, don't demolish because this building does not affect the road. If you believe you'd use it for the public, use it for something like a market, a school or a university. This is a strong building that can last for a hundred years," appealed Gorasia
VIDEO: GORASIA GIVES UP ON TAJ MALL
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He held that if the matter proceeds to court, he will be demanding for payments until the matter is fully settled, lest he is fully compensated by the government.
He angrily inferred that: "God is there for everyone, whoever wants to mess my life can go ahead and do what they want. Just like Mr Swazuri has messed my life, he is in a mess today. God will punish them,"
[caption caption="Taj Mall owner displays ownership documents to the press(PHOTO/COURTESY)"]
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