Businesses feel the heat of mall attack five days after siege

A General Service Unit officer checks identification papers of a member of public on Ring Road in Nairobi on September 26, 2013. Security is tight near the Westgate mall. Photo/William Oeri 

By KIARIE NJOROGE, gkiarie@ke.nationmedia.com

In Summary

• Firms and small traders incur losses as customers keep off following closure of roads.
• Most of the affected businesses are located along Ring Road, which is still cordoned off by the police from the Lower Kabete Road junction.
• One is required to produce identification documents and explain their reason for proceeding down the road before they are allowed to go past the checkpoint.

Several businesses near the Westgate Shopping Mall that reopened on Thursday since the Saturday terror attack reported very little business.

Most of the affected businesses are located along Ring Road, which is still cordoned off by the police from the Lower Kabete Road junction. One is required to produce identification documents and explain their reason for proceeding down the road before they are allowed to go past the checkpoint.

Hebatullah Brothers Ltd, which specialises in glass products, recorded low sales although the manager Mohammed Saiffudin could not quantify the losses they have suffered since Saturday.

“We reopened today but there are no customers coming,” he said around noon with their delivery trucks parked outside.

A customer service officer at Apollo Life Assurance confirmed that they have reopened their headquarter offices which are located at the Apollo Centre although most of the businesses including banks and offices at the centre remained closed.

Motor Mart, a car sales outlet also remained closed alongside other businesses at Westlands Commercial Centre.

Marube Ogega, CEO of Burnley, a business strategy consulting firm operating from the centre, said that his six employees are yet to go back to the office while clients cannot access the area.

“We’ve not had any operations since last week Friday and are suffering lost man hours. I would say we have lost between Sh200,000 and 250,000 since then,” he added.

Construction activities in various upcoming buildings in the area also resumed Thursday after security operation at the Westgate mall ended on Tuesday. However, antique furniture dealers who operate from an open-air space along Peponi Road continued to count losses as the Westgate mall crisis entered day five Thursday.

(READ: Carpenters lose business as Westgate crisis continues)

The carpenters, who mostly serve diplomats and foreigners visiting the Westgate mall, have been displaced by journalists who have set up base in the area.

“Under the circumstances, no customer would come this way. We are hoping that the situation will normalise soon,” said Anthony Kimani, who does sales for the Peponi Road Self-Help Group.

The area serves as their “shop” where 43 members of the group display the wares and take orders for their workshops in Githurai and Banana, which employ more than 100 people. For now, work at the facilities has slowed down considerably.

The carpenters make antique furniture — beds, bookshelves, dining tables, carvings, sunbeds and other household items using metal, wood and sisal.

“Our clients want something unique; something you won’t see in another person’s house. That’s why some seem unconventional to many people.,” said Mr Kimani.