The government has dismissed claims made by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua that Bomas of Kenya, the state-owned tourist village located in Nairobi’s Lang’ata area, has been sold to a Turkish national.
On Sunday, Gachagua alleged that President William Ruto’s Cabinet had already approved the sale, which he suggested also included prison lands. However, in a statement issued on Monday, Culture Principal Secretary Ummi Bashir denied these “shocking” claims, stating that the government had only undertaken refurbishments at the heritage site.
“Bomas of Kenya has not been sold to anyone,” Bashir clarified, adding that the development of the Bomas International Convention Complex (BICC) was approved by Cabinet on August 8, 2023, following a memorandum presented by the former Cabinet Secretary for Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage, Hon. Peninah Malonza, EGH.
The idea to refurbish and upgrade Bomas of Kenya has been under discussion for the past decade, but it is the current administration that has accelerated its implementation, Bashir explained.
The PS reassured the public that Bomas of Kenya remains a government-owned facility, emphasizing, “Its ownership will not change, as it is held in trust for the people of the Republic of Kenya, for future generations.”
Gachagua, who has been a vocal critic of President Ruto’s government since his impeachment in October, claimed that he and officials from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) had objected to the sale due to the village’s location within a flight path.
“The people from civil aviation opposed it, but the President went ahead and sold it. We are on our own,” Gachagua said.
Established in 1971, Bomas of Kenya was founded to preserve, showcase, and promote the diverse cultures of Kenya’s ethnic groups. Over the years, it has become an important tourist attraction and cultural hub.
During a church service in Kitengela, Kajiado County, Gachagua told attendees, “As we speak, Bomas of Kenya has been sold to a Turkish national. The Cabinet was informed, and I was the only one who opposed it. I stood firm and said this is a national heritage; we cannot sell it.”