Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua has made sensational allegations that the cultural site Bomas of Kenya has been sold to a Turkish investor. Speaking at the ACK Holy Trinity Church in Kitengela, Kajiado county, on Sunday, March 9, Gachagua claimed that the sale had been approved by the Cabinet and he is the only one who opposed the move. “As we speak, Bomas of Kenya has been sold to a Turkish national. The Cabinet was briefed on this, and I was the only one who objected. I stood firm and said this is a national heritage, and we cannot sell it,” Gachagua alleged. Gachagua said the government proceeded with the sale, allegedly ignoring concerns raised by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), which had warned that Bomas is located within a critical flight path. “Aviation authorities objected the move. They said the flight path to Wilson Airport runs above Bomas and any upward structure would be dangerous,” he claimed.
Has the government sold Bomas of Kenya? The former deputy president further claimed the Turkish investor is a close business partner of a very senior government official. Gachagua said that following his strong resistance, President William Ruto’s government put the alleged sale on hold, only to allegedly finalise it after the former DP’s ouster. “When they impeached me, nobody was left to oppose the sale. All the people in there (Cabinet) are cowards. When they see the president they tremble,” Gachagua alleged. Bomas of Kenya, established in 1971, was designed to preserve and promote Kenya’s diverse ethnic cultures. Over the years, it has become a key cultural and tourist attraction, hosting traditional performances and showcasing indigenous architectural designs. Additionally, the venue has played a crucial role in Kenya’s political landscape, serving as the national tallying centre during presidential elections since 2013. Government approves Bomas modernisation In August 2023, Ruto’s Cabinet approved the construction of the Bomas International Convention Centre (BICC).
The modern storey facility aims to transform the current cultural center into a world-class conference hub, strengthening Kenya’s position in the global meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) sector. A Cabinet statement released on August 8, 2023, revealed that the BICC would feature a state-of-the-art conference center, a presidential pavilion, and at least five luxury hotels. The Cabinet argued that the move would position Kenya as the destination of choice for conferences and diplomatic engagements and that the new center, modeled after the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), would stimulate economic growth by boosting tourism, hospitality, and aviation.
by Harry Ivan Mboto
