The Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK) has launched public campaigns urging customers to boycott Hilton and Sarova Stanley Hotel in Nairobi's CBD.
COFEK started the protests under the hashtags #BoycottHilton, #UnchainNairobiFootpaths and #BoycottStanley to demand the two hotels to unblock pedestrian walkways at their frontage that supposedly lock out pedestrians and vehicles.
The Federation has given the hotels a 14 day ultimatum to open up the walkways or else they would file a court suit against them.
COFEK cited that the blockades raised by the hotels, one on Mama Ngina street and the other on Kimathi street, were unconstitutional as they are occupying public land hindering movement by pedestrians.
“Hilton and Sarova Stanley Hotels are using public land for their own private use, pushing pedestrians into the middle of the road. This is a violation of the constitution and we are not afraid to fight,” COFEK's secretary general Stephen Mutoro told Kenyans.co.ke.
Mutoro further indicated the permit acquired by the two hotels to use the public land was handed to them illegally by City Hall.
“City Hall has no authority whatsoever to hand permit on roads, that is the work of the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA).” COFEK's Secretary General said in a phone interview.
COFEK directed the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate City Hall on the issuance of the permit, stating that it engaged in fraudulent deals with the hotels.
