Nairobi’s Central Business District has turned into a nightmare for tenants of Nanak House, a commercial building now at the center of violence, intimidation, and alleged corruption.
The tenants accuse Ann Wathatu Ngururi, trading as AVVA Limited, of orchestrating unlawful rent hikes, defying court orders, and unleashing armed goons to terrorize long-term tenants.
Extortionate Demands
For more than 20 years, these businesses have operated peacefully at Nanak House. But since September 2024, the new landlord has allegedly attempted to force them out with impossible demands—rent hiked from KSh 150,000 to KSh 600,000 per month and a shocking “goodwill fee” of KSh 15 million per tenant
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Even after a High Court order blocked the rent increases and evictions, the intimidation only worsened. Electricity and water have been cut off, entrances barricaded with stones, and hired goons sent to violently disrupt operations.
Terror in Broad Daylight
One tenant, Beatrice Munyoki, described a near-death encounter:
“One of the goons wanted to strangle me and was holding a knife. He twisted my hand—it’s still painful. They closed the shutters and started stealing goods from our shop,” she recounted
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Other tenants echoed similar fears, with masked men breaking in even during business hours, harassing both employees and customers.
A Landlord Above the Law?
Shockingly, one of the arrested goons was later released under suspicious circumstances, raising concerns of police collusion. Tenants further allege judicial compromise, with claims that a magistrate accepted a bribe to tilt rulings in the landlord’s favor
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Businessman Rex Kimani captured the frustration:
“We’ve been here since 2003 with no problems. But the new owner is trying to frustrate us. She probably wants new tenants,” he said.
Tenants Demand Accountability
The accusations against Ann Wathatu Ngururi are grave: defiance of court orders, harassment of tenants, extortion through unlawful fees, and enabling violent attacks.
The tenants are now demanding urgent state intervention, protection from further attacks, and a full investigation into the alleged corruption shielding the landlord.
This story is more than a property dispute—it is about impunity, violence, and the erosion of justice in the heart of Nairobi’s CBD.
