Govt announces plan to restore Westgate Mall

The government has announced plans to restore Westgate Mall and support traders to re-establish their businesses.

(VIDEO: Westgate mall after the attack)

East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism Cabinet secretary Ms Phyllis Kandie said her ministry has started plans for rapid restoration of the mall following the terrorist attack a fortnight ago.

She said her ministry would establish a team comprising Westgate Mall stakeholders to consider and advise on specific measures that government and other parties would jointly take to restore the mall.

The proposed committee will also identify the immediate actions by the Government to safeguard on possible loss of more than 2000 direct jobs resulting from the terrorism attack.

Ms Kandie was speaking at her office when she chaired an inter-ministries consultative forum comprising Westgate tenants and related stakeholders.

The meeting sought to explore ways and means of mitigating economic losses arising from the closure of the mall.

“Through this partnership, we shall be further seeking to ensure the overall national economic resilience following the tragic events by reducing levels of business collapse, investor apathy and job losses,” Ms Kandie said.

Prior to the attack, the Westgate Mall was supporting an economic ecosystem, valued at more than Sh100 billion annually.