The once glorious Kisii Hotel is fading away fast following a massive demolition of all its iconic structures. What remains is a rugged fenceline with distant patches of mature grass. That is certainly not what the, now deceased, Kisii Hotel owner intended.

• READ ALSO: The luxurious Maya Holiday Point Hotel.

Excavators have been recently pulling down the ruins of Kisii Hotel. As a result, its notable cracked walls, rusty furniture, and dusty roofs are no longer in memory. Ongoing heavy bulldozing continues to raise eyebrows.

5 Untold facts about Kisii Hotel owner and resort failures

The legacy of Kisii Hotel lives on, especially among those who visited the facility in the 80s and 90s.

• READ ALSO: Ouru Superstores owner.

Its sparkling white paint blocks and relaxing green vegetation are some of the impression markers.

1. Kisii Hotel owner is John Oigara Nyandara

Mzee John Oigara Nyandara is the founding proprietor of Kisii Hotel located opposite Ouru Power Ltd and near Daraja Mbili Market.

Born in 1934, Mr Oigara died in 2018 at the age of 84 years. The sudden passing came within 7 years of losing his wife Monica Kemunto.

Long term illness of the couple greatly contributed to the fateful collapse of the Kisii Hotel.

2. Oigara’s wife Monica Kemunto, a tough business lady

Records show that Mr Oigara’s wife Monica Kemunto who died aged 74 in 2011 at Hema Hospital was a pillar in the family business.

• READ ALSO: 5 Facts about Diplozz Resort Kisii.

Monica was a pioneer business lady at Nyambunwa Market in the 1960s. Her presence played a crucial role in the women empowerment agenda.

Mrs Monica Oigara is more so remembered for introducing the first hand-operated kerosene pump in Suneka Market.

On top of that, she would rise in 1979 to become the first newspaper agent in the region.

3. Oigara’s family was a tenant in the multi-million property

John Oigara from Bomorenda in Bonchari Constituency is the father of booming hospitality businesses in Kisii County.

Nairobi based tycoon Nixon Oigara, South African based Judith Nyakagwa, and the late Henry Obino are his children.

Oigara’s son Nixon is the owner of Nixomb Limited, a prominent Shell Dealer company based in Nairobi.

Nixon and Judith Oigara remained in charge of the Kisii Hotel. Circulating acquisition claims are far-fetched and, therefore, unreliable.

It turns out that Kisii Hotel was a tenant on a real estate property managed by James Nyamweya and Robinson Okenye Nyamongo.

4. Strategic location favoured Kisii Hotel

Apart from attractive prices, Kisii Hotel became a success because of its spacious lawns and vivid colour vegetation.

• READ ALSO: Kamel Park Hotel owner.

In addition were organic servings, peaceful accommodation for campers and travellers.

Most importantly, amenities at the facility rewarded a getaway experience to all visitors.

Meters away from the defunct Kisii Hotel is a multi-storey Dans Hotel. Also, within the vicinity are Mediforte and Oasis Hospitals.

5. Mwalimu International Hotel was the greatest competitor

The colonial-style Kisii Hotel properties from the 1920s were built to last. It would become a haven for the rich about the 1980s.

Unlike the rest, Kisii Hotel was a paradise for politicians and deep pocket locals who were mostly teachers in the Era of President Daniel Moi.

The excellence of Kisii Hotel services continued into the 90s with stiff competition from Mwalimu International Hotel.

Heated competition from other modern players such as Ufanisi Hotel eventually kicked out Kisii Hotel.

Even so, the surviving Mwalimu International Hotel opposite Mashauri is attracting lesser bookings.

• READ ALSO: 10 facts about Ufanisi Resort Kisii.

Kisii Hotel owner John Oigara Nyandara and wife Monica Kemunto left a mark for later investors. It is unbelievable how the couple from a humble background in Bonchari traced their way to Kisii town for such a life-changing business.