Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has sensationally claimed that President William Ruto’s government has sold the Bomas of Kenya, a renowned cultural site in Nairobi, to a Turkish investor.
Speaking on Sunday in Kajiado, Gachagua claimed the sale proposal was approved by the Cabinet, while he was still in office, adding that he was the only one who opposed it.
"As we speak, Bomas of Kenya has been sold to a Turkish national. The Cabinet was briefed on this, and I was the only one who objected. I stood firm and said this is a national heritage, and we cannot sell it," said Gachagua.The former DP alleged that the Turkish investor is a close business partner of a very senior government official.
However, TUKIO.co.ke understands that in August 2023, Ruto’s Cabinet approved modernisation of Bomas to include the construction of the Bomas International Convention Centre (BICC).
A Cabinet statement released on August 8, 2023, revealed that the BICC would feature a state-of-the-art conference center, a presidential pavilion, and at least five luxury hotels.
The Cabinet argued that the move would position Kenya as the destination of choice for conferences and diplomatic engagements and that the new center, modeled after the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), would stimulate economic growth by boosting tourism, hospitality, and aviation.
