Traders oppose planned takeover of Kenyatta International Conference Centre by Senate

By Geoffrey Mosoku

Nairobi, Kenya: The business community is opposed to plans to hand over the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) to house the Senate.

According to Nairobi businessman Solomon Kinyanjui, such move will hurt the tourism industry as the venue is very popular for hosting meetings, conferences and exhibitions.

Kiunyajui said that there are various exhibitions and conferences lined up as the country’s gears up to the tourist high season and thus locking them out of the place will hurt the economy too.

“As members of the Meetings, Conferences and Exhibitions lobby, we are opposed to any attempt for a takeover of the entire KICC and allocate it to the senate,” he said.

Strategic location

The traders said KICC is popular for such meetings due to its strategic location and historical heritage.

“It’s easy to convince international and local organisations to host or attend meetings, conferences, workshops and exhibitions at the KICC that any other place in Nairobi,” Kinyanjui said on Sunday.

He added that already some exhibitors have booked KICC for many international fairs, which will be grossly affected if the Senate takes over the KICC to house its offices.

Last week, The Standard reported that the Senate wants to take over the entire KICC until the ongoing renovation of Parliament’s Old Chamber is completed.

In a letter to the Government by the Clerk of the Senate Jeremiah Nyegenye, the senators said the seven floors allocated to them were not enough.

The clerk asked that they occupy the 28-floor building that the Government repossessed from Kanu in 2003 after Narc came into power.