The Story of Mahindi Hotel in Eldoret
Mahindi Hotel in Eldoret was a popular spot back in the 1980s. This three-story building offered entertainment, dining, and lodging options in town. The building also housed various businesses, including a well-known bar called Mini Bar, which had a cool Jukebox for music lovers. At one point, Mahindi Hotel was the tallest building in town until the New Miyako Hotel was constructed in 1980.
The hotel was named after its owner, Mr. Mahindi Gitonga. Originally from Gakoe village in Kiambu, Mahindi was the older brother of Ngugi Gitonga, who owns Sosiani View Hotel and Eldo Bliss Hotel in the adjacent street. Their father, Gitonga, worked for a European settler in Kiambu and taught his sons how to repair bicycles, which he learnt from the settler. When the Mau Mau emergency was declared in 1952, Mahindi and Ngugi joined the fight against British rule and stayed in the Aberdare Forest until Kenya gained independence in 1963.
After independence, Mahindi and Ngugi started a bicycle repair business in Subukia in Nakuru County before moving to Kapsabet and eventually settling in Eldoret in 1968. With the help of a bank loan, Mahindi purchased the plot where Mahindi Hotel stands today and put up the building. Meanwhile, Ngugi continued to run his bicycle repair business and also became involved in the Nyakinyua land buying company, helping many Kikuyu community members acquire land in the Rift Valley.
In 1985, Mahindi relocated to Nairobi to pursue other business ventures. He passed away in 2016, while Ngugi passed away in 2020 and was laid to rest in Kiplombe cemetery. The legacy of Mahindi Hotel and the Gitonga brothers lives on in Eldoret. Their contributions to the Eldoret community and business will be remembered by many
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