Kenya to re-open shopping mall after terror attack

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

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NAIROBI -- Kenya plans to re-open the capital's premier shopping complex, the Westgate Shopping Mall, in July for the first time since the terror attack, the management said on Monday.

The management of Westgate Shopping Mall, which has remained closed for the last two years following a tragic terror attack, announced that plans for the reopening are now at an advanced stage.

"As the management and directors' of Westgate Mall alongside our esteemed tenants, we are today joined in this interdenominational thanksgiving and prayer service as we prepare for the reopening sometime in July," Westgate Mall Director Alex Trachtenberg said during an inter-denominational prayer service hosted at the Westgate Shopping Mall foyer in Nairobi.

Trachtenberg confirmed that tenants taking up space at the mall will soon be moving in to commence their respective stores outfitting ahead of the reopening.

One of Kenya's leading lady entrepreneurs and Westgate Shopping Mall Tenant Terry Mungai, confirmed that her firm, has now booked space at the mall five times bigger than its earlier space.

"As patriotic Kenyan business people, we are confident that Westgate Mall will arise from the ruins to greater heights than it ever was and we have booked space five times bigger," Mungai said. "We have made such a booking as a mark of our confidence on Westgate Shopping Mall."

Nakumatt Holdings Managing Director Atul Shah, confirmed that the regional retailer will be commencing its in store step up from next week.

"The fall of Westgate following the attack two years ago was a big blow to our business. I am, however, glad to confirm that our customers among other partners have enabled us to overcome the challenges and we are now a 52 branches strong retailer up from just about 40 branches then," said Shah.

Somali Al-Shabaab militants stormed the upscale shopping mall frequented by wealthy Kenyans and foreigners in September 2013, killing 67 people. The militant group said it carried out the attack in response to Kenya's military operations in Somalia.

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