Waruguru could not prove she’s married – Kericho hotel responds

 Catherine Waruguru and her Nanyuki-based lawyer husband, William Kiget [Photo: Courtesy]

Kericho’s Sunshine Upperhill Hotel where Laikipia Woman Representative Catherine Waruguru and her Nanyuki-based lawyer husband, William Kiget, were turned away on Saturday, July 14, has strict guest booking policy.

According to the management of the hotel located opposite Moi Gardens, couples intending to spend the night at the hotel must produce a marriage certificate.

Waruguru’s room 402 reservation was revoked because they didn’t have any proof of marriage.

Not even efforts of Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter, MP Nelson Koech, MP Sylvanus Maritim and Florence Bore could intimidate the management, forcing Waruguru and Kiget to walk away in protest.

“It is against our rules for unmarried couples a man and woman outside wedlock to sleep in one room. Peace and calmness must be maintained,” reads a notice at the entrance of the hotel established in 1991 and owned by 63- year-old James Mwangi, a school dropout.

 Waruguru exiting the hotel [Photo: Courtesy]

Mwangi says he upholds high family values instilled in him by his father and is least bothered even when his employees threaten to quit.

“Some managers have threatened to quit over the strict hotel rules, but I’d rather lose clients than compromise on family morals I inherited from my father,” he told The Nairobian.

The hotel’s manager, Frank Kirui, said “rules are rules and every establishment reserves the right to admit clients or deny them access. Golf clubs, for instance, are members-only establishments and those rules cannot be broken.”

Kirui added that “Mheshimiwa should have obeyed the hotel’s rules instead of humiliating staff.”

 Marriage certificate or ID

The Saturday night incident has been condemned by some local leaders as well as residents. 

Dominic Rono, the Speaker Kericho County Assembly and a lawyer argued that Sunshine Hotel acted contrary to the Constitution.

“Production of marriage certificate or one’s marital status is not one of the grounds set out in Article 24. In fact, Article 27 prohibits discrimination on the basis of, among other grounds, marital status,” he said.

Kim Martins, a local entrepreneur has asked the hotel to “make their rules clear on their official website because people don’t generally travel around with their marriage certificates as they do with their National Identification cards (ID) or driver’s licence.”

 I will sue

Meanwhile, Waruguru has asked residents to boycott Sunshine Hotel.

 “My traditional wedding to Kiget was witnessed by elders, what kind of document did the hotel want me to produce to show for it?” fumed Waruguru, adding that, “I can’t believe that my fellow tribesman could deny me accommodation.

The hotel owner is discriminatory and isn’t a good Christian. When I went to the establishment after booking my room, I was informed that there are no Kikuyu women married to Kalenjin men and I should, therefore, produce a marriage certificate.”

Waruguru and Kiget have vowed to sue the hotel for tribalism and discrimination against second wives.

“I will file a suit against the hotel,” Kiget told The Nairobian.