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The owner of Nairobi's Taj Mall, which has since been renamed to AirGate Mall, has dared the government to demolish the building.
Addressing the media on Thursday, Rameshchandra Govind Gorasia confirmed he received a two-week notice to demolish the mall.
However, the seemingly aggrieved billionaire vowed not to bring down the building, saying whoever wants to demolish the building to do it themselves.
“I am saying this openly to any authority, I am not going to remove this structure, not even to my death! If they want to remove it, they come and do it themselves,” said an irate Gorasia.
“Whoever is ordering this demolition stop hiding, come out and face me, I am not scared of anything.”
In a letter dated August 16, 2018, the Multi-sectoral Committee on Unsafe Structures stated the building had encroached on a road reserve hindering the construction of Outering Road.
“The owner(s)/developer(s) are asked to remove this illegal development before 30th August, 2018. The occupants/tenants at the Airgate Mall are asked to immediately vacate the building prior to the expiry of the notice,” reads the memo signed by agency’s chairman Moses Nyakiongora.
“Upon the expiry of this notice, the illegal development will be demolished or removed from the road reserve and wayleave at the owner(s)/developer(s) risk and cost.”
Gorasia was speaking a day after the building was marked for demolition by officials from the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA). He said the shopping complex was fully approved and paid for and was at the time valued at Sh5.4 billion.
“I am a genuine investor in the country, I’m not a thief and I believe we are in a country with a Constitution,”said Gorasia adding that he purchased the land in 1996 when he was 21 years old.
“Tenants have been living in fear ever since they received the news that part of the building will be demolished,” lamented Gorasia.
Earlier this week, the billionaire said he was the sole owner of the building and refuted claims that Deputy President William Ruto has shares in the mall.
Comments
This guy seems to have some very connected Upper hand Official backing that's giving him this kind of Daring courage.
You are right @Guest 1. This Indian is as corrupt as they come and now he is spewing what he would wish is a curse. Why was this building not flattened when they constructed the road? Are some beings that important than others? Recently he was quoted telling our silly leaders to man up and face him.Another one built a dam in Naivasha that flooded a village. Where was NEMA before then? This Indian was even given documents to travel to India by the court after the incident. It appears we have sold our country to them and the Chinese.
Hey Mûgikûyû. When Indians in this Country behave like "Njambas" as we Retreat like we're their "Ngombos", I feel like Exploding in Pieces for a Good reason. Where are the Leaders? Or has Kenya become some GALATIAN bewitched by these Calcuttans?
Kenyans in Diaspora Remember I told u this one is going dwn.This muhindi can call his Gods from India or Mount Everest but in 12 days it’s coming dwn big time.Serikal iko chonjo.Fir all those who grabbed public roads n plots their days r numbered
Chonjo with Arap Mashamba the Runners up? I very Doubt it.
Relax....it's only 'part of the building' that's encroaching. Ati he purchased the piece of land when he was 21 years old.....tell-tales have tails.
Corruption must be dealt a permanent death blow in Kenya. These corrupt mega rich individuals don't give a hoot about our laws-zoning and building codes. They bribe building code enforcers with a cavalier attitude because they believe that once an expensive and intimidating building is up, no one will dare take it down. They even say, don't touch my building, move the river instead. I guess if anyone one built illegally on a mountain, they will tell us to move the mountain and leave their buildings alone. Truth be told! The mother of all corruption in Kenya are the Indians in Kenya, our gready leaders, politicians and civil servants- there, I said it!
I wish Njirainu chasese Gorasia.Atakimia ki na hiyo maringo.
Banks that loaned thugs to build on grabbed land will go down with them. This is a good lesson to everybody.