Kampala Capital City Authority has closed the Kampala Grand Imperial Hotel, after a floor in its Didi’s dining Hall caved in. KCCA Executive Director Jennifer Musisi says the hotel is closed in order to protect the public.
The floor of Didis Dining hall, one of the hotels two restaurants, reportedly caved in after a heavy downpour. The hotel, a member of the Imperial Hotels Group is located within the Kampala central business district.
By the time KCCA officers arrived at the scene, there were renovations taking place at the affected sections of the hotel that include the information centre and the dining (Didi’s) hall an act that KCCA enforcers say is illegal renovation.
According to KCCA supervisor building management, Moses Were, the onsite engineer Badru Biyinsa did not notify KCCA before such a “risky renovation.”
“It is very risky to renovate any building without notifying the authority. Supposing such fault on the hotel had been either on the first or the other floors and any accident happens, who would be blamed,” Were wondered.
He explained that part of the affected hall will be sealed off as KCCA inspection team carries out the impact assessment of the whole building before it is granted full authority to reopen.
The onsite engineer Badru Biyinsa was arrested and taken for further interrogation for flouting construction regulations.
The structure housing the hotel is one of the first to be built in colonial Uganda in the early 20th Century. It has a total of 103 rooms.