The demolition of the prestigious Grand Manor Hotel in Nairobi’s Gigiri is underway a day after a court ruled that the property is a security threat to the adjacent UN headquarters.

City Hall obtained the court order on grounds that the hotel was built without the requisite approvals and that the building poses a security threat to the UN and US embassy.

The owner of the Grand Manor Hotel, businessman Praful Kumar, however, argued that he followed all due process before construction.

Kumar is also facing corruption charges after he was allegedly busted by detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) while attempting to bribe Nairobi governor Mike Sonko, who recorded their conversation.

The county government has for the last six months been demolishing buildings that are said to be built on riparian land.

The Grand Manor becomes the latest hotel to be demolished in the ongoing efforts to reclaim grabbed riparian land after South End Mall on Mbagathi Way and Ukay Mall, Westlands, which were brought down in August.