Kisumu residents yesterday took to the streets to protest against the delay in opening the Sh4.2 billion Lake Basin Mall.
Senator Fred Outa and MCAs demanded it be opened immediately for tenants who have booked space to begin business.
Carrying placards and twigs, protesters said they will resist any plan to sell the mall to a few individuals, saying it is build on public land.
“We will burn it down if it is sold to a few individuals with selfish interests. Residents must benefit,” protester Juma Agar said.
The demonstrations come amid allegations that money meant for paying the contactor has been squandered.
Deputy speaker Erick Agola said the mall is a government project and the President should safeguarded it.
Outa demanded an explanation from the Devolution ministry over the standoff, saying the mall risks being auctioned.
He accused the ministry of deliberately scuttling plans to commission the mall.
Outa claimed the ministry is trying to help transfer the mall to powerful people in government.
“We have information money meant for clearing the debt, which was released by the national Treasury to the Devolution ministry, has been misused,” he said.
Outa said residents should be given 70 per cent of jobs when the mall opens its doors to the public.
Lake Basin Development Authorityacting MD Evans Atera assured the public the mall would open this month.
Atera told the protesters 30 per cent of space in the mall has been booked. Moremajor tenants are needed after Tuskys supermarket pulled out.
He blamed the delay in handing over the mall on negative publicity and road construction, which has kept away potential tenants.
The MD sought to ally fears that there is plot to sell the mall. He called that propaganda.
LBDA was to implement the project in 1978, but it was abandoned in 1982 after the failed coup. It was revived in
1992 but stalled again. Construction took off in 2013 and was completed in August.