KISUMU: Prophet David Owuor has spent Sh12 million to book all rooms in three hotels for guests attending his three-day prayer rally in Kisumu, starting Thursday.
Owuor has booked the Acacia Premier Hotel, which is billed as the only four-star facility in Western Kenya. He has also booked Kisumu Hotel and Imperial Express.
At Imperial Express, it will cost the Ministry of Repentance and Holiness Sh1.12 million for its 56 rooms and another Sh1.72 million for the 86 rooms booked at Kisumu Hotel.
Acacia Premier put a notice of closure for the four days Owuor will be at the facility, regretting any inconvenience caused to their clients. Owuor will be accommodated at the facility's presidential suite, which costs Sh55,500 a night.
The accommodation at Acacia Premier that has a bed capacity of 94 will cost the prophet at least Sh9.5 million, bearing in mind the cost of the presidential suite, business suites that go for Sh30,000 a night and the standard rooms booked for the guests for the four days they will be spending there.
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Owuor is set to stage a three-day healing service at Kibos starting tomorrow, then later address an international pastors' conference at the Jomo Kenyatta grounds on Saturday.
Other guests who are coming for the event have also booked other hotels such as Le Savannah and St. John's Manor.
Acacia Premier Marketing Manager Robinson Anyal said the over 500 international guests' accommodation is obviously a big boost to the hotels in Kisumu. "This is definitely good business," said Anyal.
Anyal, who is also the Western Region Hotel Managers Association chairman, stated that many hotel facilities recorded good business during Christmas, with many recording 70 to 80 per cent success. "It is also a blessing to host Owuor since it shows confidence in our capacity," said Anyal.
Meanwhile, thousands of faithful drawn from not only Kenya but other East African countries, have already started filling the venue ahead of the rally.
Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma welcomed the prophet and believers to the New Year prayer meeting,which he is going to be part of.
Ranguma said the fact that Owuor has considered Kisumu for such a great event could not be taken for granted. "We have continued to receive the grace, blessings and mercy from God. And as a people, the prayer meetings continue to bring tranquility and cohesion among us," he said.
