Loss of heritage: Nakuru's iconic Zakayos hotel goes to auction

Zakayos Hotel, a landmark building in Racecourse area along Othaya Road is up for auction to the highest bidder.

This comes after an advert in the local dailies announcing its auction alongside other properties in Nakuru on September 4.

The four-storey building, which sits on 0.0712 of an acre, has for decades been a landmark in Racecourse and is closely associated with the commercial center that grew around it and took its name.

Today, Zakayo Centre is a busy commercial hub with shops and businesses serving residents and commuters.

The property is owned by Zakayo Maina Waweru, who, according to available biographical accounts, rose from humble beginnings to become a leading timber merchant.

John Githanga, a longtime Nakuru resident familiar with the history of the area, says Zakayos was among the first major establishments in the estate and recalls that it was built in the 1990s.

Githanga says the hotel was the first of its kind in the estate, emerging around the same period when more homes were coming up.

He recalls visiting Zakayos at the time and says the establishment was particularly known for its bar and entertainment.

“It was known more for the bar, for the entertainment,” he says.

Githanga notes that the hotel emerged at a time when Racecourse was gradually developing from an area with fewer commercial establishments into a more active business center.

According to accounts by others, the building, then as is now, accommodated shops on the ground floor, a bar and accommodation on the floors.

But with the original property now facing auction, Githanga opines that its loss should not necessarily be viewed as the disappearance of a major historical institution.

He adds the hotel was not particularly significant in terms of the value it added to society, arguing that much of its role centered on entertainment and drinking.

“It is not a big deal,” he notes, adding that what the area may be losing is not necessarily an establishment that made a major positive contribution to society.

Githanga observes that while businesses such as hotels and entertainment establishments can help open up an area by creating spaces where people spend money and invest, they can also have negative social consequences.

He points to families that may have been affected by excessive drinking as one of the downsides associated with such establishments.

Still, Githanga acknowledges that the presence of businesses such as Zakayos helped create an environment where people could invest.

He says the implied sense of security and economic activity generated around the establishment contributed to making the area a safer and more attractive place for investment as Racecourse developed.

The impending auction therefore marks another chapter in the evolution of an area whose identity has changed considerably over the decades.

While the commercial businesses that now make up Zakayo Centre are likely to continue serving residents, the possible change of ownership of the original hotel building marks a significant moment for a property whose name has become embedded in the identity of the surrounding neighborhood