Bishop David Kariuki Ngari, popularly known as Bishop Gakuyo is a wealthy individual despite the storm of controversies that have rocked his boat in the recent past.
The man of cloth turned politician attracted the wrath of many following the collapse of Ekeza Sacco, which he was the founder and owner.
Among the many fortunes accrued by the controversial preacher include the classy multi-million Hotel Lillies located along Sunrise Street in Juja, Kiambu County.
The establishment attracts many revelers as it is located 50 metres from the Thika Super Highway. It is also a short distance away from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).
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Hotel Lilies
Hotel Lillies boasts a state-of-the-art structure and has a great accommodation with rooms ranging from middle class to VIP class. The hotel offers African cuisine and Nyama Choma.
Other amenities at the hotel include, a swimming pool, clubhouse, gym, and spa. The establishment also offers spacious and ample parking to its revelers along with free and reliable WiFi.
It also has a spacious conference hall that can be used for group meetings, wedding receptions, thanksgiving ceremonies, and fundraisers. It has a spacious environment outside that can be used for birthday parties, graduation parties, among other social gatherings.
Hotel Lilies
Hotel Lilies offers Dine-In and Kerbside services. It, however, does not offer delivery services.
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the hotel has like others across the country been forced to adhere to safety guidelines issued by the government through the Ministry of Health.
It ensures that revelers always have their face masks, constant temperature checks for both patrons and staff. Staffers also disinfect the surfaces in-between visits to ensure the hotel maintains a high standard.
The hotel also has a kids’ playground to keep children entertained. Swings and bouncing castles will have them enjoying a family day’s out.
At the height of financial struggles and fraud accusations in 2019, Bishop Gakuyo published in local dailies that he intended to sell off some of his assets including Hotel lilies to refund money owed to investors at Ekeza Sacco.
On January 29, 2019, The Standard reported that Gakuyo had listed for sale, his residential house in Nyari estate near Village Market, Nairobi, Hotel Lillies, and a house on half-an-acre along the Thika-Garissa road near Makongeni estate.
Among other properties he had intended to sell included, a four-storey building along the Thika-Garrissa road, a 50 acre piece of land in Kilimambogo, Thika, 100 acres in Kabati, Murang’a, and a quarry, also located in Kabati.
Hotel Lilies
Other properties reportedly owned by Gakuyo include Salama House in Nairobi, and Swift Breeze Hardware on Garissa Road.
However, the commissioner of co-operatives moved to court in February 2019 and stopped the preacher from selling the hotel, stating that the sale could jeopardise the inquiry into the Sacco which had deposits in excess of Ksh2.56 billion.
Gakuyo later assured investors that he had made plans to liquidate Ekeza Sacco and pay back the money owed to investors. He published the names of members expected to receive their refunds on local dailies, detailing how he would refund all the over 78,000 members.
He targeted members with Ksh 1,600 up to Ksh 77,000 in deposits.
In May 2019, Gakuyo announced a five-phase refund plan which would start with members who had the least savings.
Gakuyo is the bishop and founder of Caalvary Chosen Temple Church located in Thika town.
