Because the iconic Marble Arch Hotel is located on public land, a Nairobi court has granted the Nairobi County Government permission to demolish it.
Mike Maina, the hotel’s owner, did not satisfy the court how he acquired the piece of land close to the Nairobi Fire Station, according to Justice Lucy Mbugua of the Environment and Land Court’s ruling on Monday.
The businessman requested that the court designate him the legal owner of the two plots and issue him a permanent order prohibiting the county government from intruding on the property or demolishing the hotel.
Mr. Maina also demanded Sh2 million in damages, claiming that the county officials had trespassed on his property.
He bought the two plots in 1993 and 1995, he claimed, and has been operating the hotel since 1993, with the next plot serving as a parking lot. The property’s rates, rent, and other approvals and licenses have all been paid on time, according to the businessman.
The tycoon claimed that the planned demolition was illegitimate and infringed on his right to own property. He claimed that the notification was malicious and that it should be revoked. The case was not defended by City Hall.
