Government dismisses claims Bomas of Kenya has been sold

Gender, Culture, Arts and Heritage PS Ummi Bashir. [File, Standard] The government has dismissed claims by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua that Bomas of Kenya has been sold to a Turkish national, saying the facility is undergoing modernisation to become a global conference and cultural hub. Gachagua alleged that the sale happened despite his objections during a Cabinet meeting when he served as deputy president. "The Turkish national is a close friend to someone powerful in this country. Ruto has two years to do everything he wants. The other day you saw who has joined him in government," he said. However, the Gender, Culture, Arts and Heritage ministry, under which Bomas falls,has refuted the allegations, noting the facility remains public property. Principal Secretary Ummi Bashir said Bomas has not been sold, and its ownership remains unchanged. "I am therefore shocked by the allegations made by the former Deputy President regarding the sale of Bomas of Kenya to a Turkish national. The State Department for Culture, the Arts and Heritage categorically refutes this allegation. Bomas of Kenya has not been sold to anyone," she said in a statement on Monday, March 10. She explained that the government is implementing the Bomas International Convention Complex (BICC) project, which was approved by Cabinet on August 8, 2023, as part of a long-standing plan to upgrade the facility. "The idea of refurbishing and upgrading Bomas of Kenya is not new and has been in consideration for the past 10 years. Nevertheless, it is the current administration that has given impetus to its actualisation. Bomas of Kenya has a valid title in its name, issued in 1971, and remains in the government's custody," Bashir noted. The government aims to transform Bomas into a premium conferencing facility, positioning it as a market leader in the region with multiple venues surpassing existing infrastructure. Bashir assured the public that Bomas will remain a government facility held in trust for Kenyans. "The ownership shall not change, as it is held in trust on behalf of the people of the Republic of Kenya for posterity," she added. At the same time, Head of Creative Economy and Special Projects Dennis Itumbi also dismissed the claims, saying there has been no discussion, proposal, or plan to sell Bomas to any foreign entity. "Bomas of Kenya is being modernised to align with global standards, not sold. The project will position Kenya as Africa's leading destination for high-level conferences, entertainment, and cultural exhibitions," said Itumbi. He accused Gachagua of political dishonesty, saying records show he supported the project during Cabinet meetings. "He is on record acknowledging that it was unfortunate the facility had been neglected for decades. To now claim otherwise is misleading," he noted. Itumbi also questioned Gachagua's level of engagement in Cabinet, alleging that he rarely contributed to discussions. "While his colleagues engaged in serious national deliberations, he was often preoccupied with his phone, scrolling through WhatsApp and memes," he added.

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