Business is booming for hoteliers in Nakuru that are fully booked for the burial of former President Daniel Moi and have had to turn away guests.
Nakuru Tourism and Hoteliers Association chairperson Dave Mwangi said hotels had increased bookings since last week when retired President Moi died.
He confirmed that hotels such as Sarova Woodlands, OleKen, Grand Winston, Olepollos, Merica and Waterbuck were already fully booked.
"The climax will be today and tomorrow when many people will be coming down from Nairobi where the main activities have been centred since Moi's demise last week," he said.
The chairperson added that most of the guests had indicated that they will arrive late on Wednesday and leave on Thursday morning.
Mwangi said guests include senior security officers, emergency response teams and journalists camping in Nakuru for the past week.
"More personnel will arrive this evening to reinforce teams already on the ground and that will translate to more bookings," he said.
People have gone as far as Elementaita, Molo and Rongai in search of accommodation.
Meanwhile, hundreds of residents in Nakuru were glued to their screens as they followed the proceedings of Moi's National Prayer Service at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi.
Hotels in the town and within the estates were packed as everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of events.
"It was fun following the proceeding from a public place instead of home because it felt like I was at Nyayo Stadium with the rest of Kenyan," resident Peter Kipyegon said.
A handful of residents followed the prayers from Afraha Stadium through a giant screen that had been erected.
Afraha is one of the four locations where the public will follow the funeral service.
Others are in former President Moi's rural homestead in Sacho and Kabarnet, which is the headquarters of Baringo county.
The fourth location was to be identified by the Moi family.
Edited by R.Wamochie
