Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed’s brother, Ahmed Jibril, has caused an uproar among residents of Runda, Nairobi, over his multi-billion shilling luxury hotel being constructed in the posh estate.
Officials from Runda estate, led by former anti-graft chief Patrick Lumumba, claimed that the proposed 200-bed hotel and conference facility is in breach of the area's security and requirements of controlled apartments.
In a letter to the Ministry of Lands and Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, the residents of the affluent neighbourhood want the construction halted immediately stating that it could have negative environmental effects.
The letter states that Mr Jibril purchased 18 plots and sought the amalgamation of 15, which he intends to change from residential to commercial (the proposed hotel).
“The amalgamation and change of user is against zoning restrictions and is in breach of other applicable special conditions regulating the parent grant of Runda Estate,” the residents’ association chairman Isaac Gitoho said as quoted by the Business Daily.
The association members also questioned how the Nairobi County government would approve amalgamation of the 15 houses without consulting the residents.
“We as an association make a resolution to petition the county government to stop construction of the hotel,” Mr Lumumba affirmed.
However, Mr Jibril, who is the chairman of Paddock Investments that is developing the posh hotel, said that the construction would not breach any rule as claimed by the residents.
“I have good intentions and the area needs such an investment. All the approvals have been above board,” the CS's brother stated.
The hotel is said to be targeting business tourists and diplomats working in the neighbourhoods such as United Nations, the US and Canadian embassies.
