Drama as staff, clients chased away from Migori Hotel over rent arrears

Migori Town residents on Tuesday were treated to drama at the iconic Gilly Hotel as the owner and tenants tussled over Sh1.2 million rent arrears.

The landmark hotel at the centre of Migori town was popular in the 1990s as it was the only storey hotel in the county.

Over 50 clients, some of whom were in the room, were evicted from the facility mid-morning by the owner Gilbert Omoga.

Omoga demanded three months rent arrears from two tenants Polvin Wandigi and Roseline Achieng Awindi.

He arrived with hired youths to chase away staff and clients from the facilities before locking the hotel.

He said he had obtained an order from the Business Premises Rent Tribunal dated June 17, 2019, which gave the tenants until July 15 to pay the Sh400,000 a month arrears.

 “The tenant shall pay undisputed rent for May, June and July 2019 totalling to Sh1,200,000 on or before July 15, 2019, in the default the landlord shall levy distress and evict the tenant from the suit premises with the assistant of OCS Migori police station,” the order seen by the Star read in part.

The order wanted parties to "reconcile the account and confirm if there is any balance of arrears of rent up to April 30, 2019".

Addressing the press at the Hotel, Omoga, who has been running the hotel until he started renting out space, said he took the action from the order.

But when the Star contacted Roseline, she claimed they had paid the arrears and that Omoga was settling personal differences.

She said they had deposited Sh1.2the million before renting out space which was never paid back.

“If there is any problem he knows himself. What he has done is not good, he was supposed to follow the right channel of eviction, we will still go back to court,” she said.