China Square Limited has temporarily shut down to give the owners a chance to review their operating strategy.
To prevent the Chinese from competing with Kenyans in the marketplace, Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria prompted Kenyatta University to reclaim its mall.
He issued a statement that included the following: “I have today made a proposal to Prof. Wainaina, the VC Kenyatta University, to buy out the lease for China Square, Unicity Mall and pass it over to the Gikomba, Nyamakima, Muthurwa and Eastleigh Merchants Association.
He emphasized that “we welcome Chinese investors to Kenya as manufacturers, not dealers.”
Kenyans were outraged by Moses Kuria’s action and the store’s subsequent closure since they had praised the mall for stocking a variety of goods at reasonable costs.
Others countered that it had done so to increase money by revitalizing UniCity, which Kenyatta University had built.
Nonetheless, the retail center stated that the closure will allow them to develop a new strategy to better serve their patrons.
China Square stated that the decision was made to “let us to re-evaluate and replan our corporate strategy, in order to better serve our clients and meet their needs.”
It also included specifics on how they intended to work together with neighborhood traders to implement their new approach. The one-stop shopping center defended the move, claiming that it was essential for integrating with the neighborhood.
The notice said, in part, “We apologies for any difficulty this may create and hope that you will appreciate our need to take this step.”
It said, “Our commitment to provide you the best level of service remains as strong as ever.
The one-stop retail center, however, made plans to operate again on Monday.
