Emotions ran high on Wednesday as DusitD2-Nairobi hoisted its corporate flag and the Kenyan flag, reopening six months after an al Shabaab attack left 21 people dead and the nation on edge.
The government, which had reacted swiftly and saved many lives, assured visitors investors and tenants of security. The fashionable Dusit complex also has more than 40 businesses at 14 Riverside Drive.
“Life is back, business is back, the spirit and the strength of Kenyans are back and nobody. No terrorist will kill the spirit of Kenyans and visitors from coming to Dusit,” Tourism CS Najib Balala said.
He projected a 10 per cent increase in tourist numbers this year.
Also present were Cabinet Secretaries Rachael Omamo (Defence), Amina Mohamed (Sports) and former Police IG Joseph Boinnet.
Survivors recalled the attack on January 15 when the terrorists struck, killing almost two dozen people and injuring scores of others.
Hundreds of employees from companies at the complex came out to mark the re-opening of the hotel, the anchor tenant.
Life is back, business is back, the spirit and the strength of Kenyans are back and nobody. No terrorist will kill the spirit of Kenyans and visitors from coming to Dusit.
“It has not gotten out of my mind. It was a scary moment. I still remember the gunshots and the loud bang. Though we have gone through counselling sessions, it will take time before I get over it,” Joyce Namai, told the Star yesterday.
Emmanuel Mutuma, the CEO of BrighterMonday-Kenya recalled the events.
“It was scary, I was here for 14 hours from around 3pm to 4am. But we went through a lot of counselling, given time off to work from wherever we live. That has really been supportive," he said.
"We are strong now as things come back to normalcy,” Mutuma said.
For Elizabeth Wanjiru, a manager at a fashion retailer at Dusit, the first two weeks of returning to work were scary.
“Sometimes you feel like they will come back. We have however been in continuous counselling, which has helped. We are coping well," she said.
The majority of the businesses reopened a month after the attack but business has remained low as the hotel is the anchor. It is part of the Thai-owned Dusit chain of luxury hotels.
“Traffic has been downsince the hotel has been closed but with the reopening, we are looking at better days ahead,” said Bootsy Mutiso, the proprietor lof Dolce Cavallo, a high-end fashion and designer shop.
A number of businesses among them Cellulant, which lost six staffers, and Adam Smith, where two people were killed, have vacated.
The hotel management yesterday hoisted its DusitD2 Nairobi flag and the Kenyan flag.
DusitD2 general manager Michael Metaxas said, “Bookings are very low but we expect to pick up as we get back to full operations.”
With 101 rooms, the hotel is expected five check-in guests as it opened on Wednesday.
(Edited by V. Graham)
