Popular Garden Square restaurant serves last supper

Garden Square, a renowned restaurant located in Nairobi's Central Business District known for hosting funeral gatherings and fundraisers, has officially shut its doors.

The restaurant, characterised by its colonial architecture, is currently undergoing renovations, leading to speculation about the future of the establishment.

Reliable sources have revealed that Armstrong Kasuku, the proprietor of Garden Square, has either sold or leased the property. Kasuku, who has been running the restaurant since the early 1970s, is believed to have chosen retirement, selling or leasing the land for business purposes to a prominent entrepreneur from the Mount Kenya region.

A former employee of the restaurant, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the news and cited declining business and returns as the main reasons behind Kasuku's decision to exit the industry.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the hospitality sector, with many hotels and restaurants struggling to recover. This downturn likely affected Garden Square's profitability.

Another perspective suggests that the rise of digital platforms, particularly WhatsApp, has affected the restaurant's viability. Nowadays, people tend to hold social meetings, including fundraising events, through WhatsApp groups rather than in physical venues. This shift in behaviour has made it challenging for businesses reliant on event spaces to stay afloat.

Entertainment hub

Garden Square, apart from its function as a meeting place, was a hub for music artists from the 1970s to 1990s before alternative entertainment spots emerged in the city. Notable performers who graced the restaurant's stage include Samba Mapangala from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with his Orchestra Virunga Band and the late Moreno Batamba with his Moja One group.

According to veteran radio disc jockey (DJ) Fred Obachi Machoka, the LesWanyika group from Tanzania also had some Kenyan musicians who frequently performed at Garden Square. The band consisted of John Ngereza, Issa Juma, Omar Shabani, and Sijali Salum Zuwa from Tanzania, alongside Kenyan members Tommy Malanga and Rashid Juma.

However, amidst the closure and uncertainty surrounding Garden Square, the question of land ownership remains unresolved. The ownership of the land on which the building stands has been a contentious issue, with the former ruling party, KANU, claiming possession. Armstrong Kasuku previously went to court, asserting that former President Daniel Arap Moi had allocated him the land.

During the tenure of the first Nairobi County Governor, Dr Evans Kidero, the county government also claimed ownership of the same land. Efforts by Kidero's successor, Mike Sonko, to transfer ownership of Garden Square to the KICC failed.