Dusit-D2 hotel re-opens six months after terror attack
Kinyuru Munuhe and Lydiah Nyanchwa @PeopleDailyKe
Calls for concerted efforts in the fight against terrorism dominated yesterday’s re-opening of the Dusit-D2 Hotel along 14 Riverside Drive in Westlands, Nairobi.
The ceremony was conducted six months after 21 people died in a terrorist attack on the premises.
Three Cabinet secretaries; Najib Balala (Tourism), Raychelle Omamo (Defence) and Amina Mohamed (Sports) graced the occasion alongside Tourism Chief Administrative Secretary Joseph Boinnet.
“In less than 200 days since the incident happened, the hotel is back. Nobody will kill the spirit of Kenyans and foreigners from coming to Dusit-D2,” Balala said while giving a keynote address.
Citizens’ bravery
He said although terrorism is a global threat, the government has invested heavily to safeguard the safety of all those living in the country and their properties.
By yesterday evening, the hotel had received five bookings and all the 200 employees who survived the attack have resumed work.
“We acknowledge the bravely of everyone who responded to the incident. I am proud today that unlike the situation we found, we have bounced back within a short time.
We cannot be defeated by terrorists. We also recognise and celebrate the officer who was killed during the rescue operation posthumously,” Joseph Boinnet, who was the Inspector General of Police at the time said.
At a colourful ceremony, Tourism CS and Thai ambassador to Kenya Cherdkiat Atthakor officially received the flag at the Dusit-D2 before handing it over to Recce Squad officers who hoisted it alongside that of the hotel as Kenya National Anthem was played.
Dusit-D2 general manager Michael Metaxas, middle-distance runner and two times world champion David Rudisha and current 5,000m champion Helen Onsando Obiri received the Dusit-D2 international flag at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport before handing it over to the CS at the complex. “The hotel will be open to the public tomorrow,” Metaxas said.
