The government has ordered a newly opened international club PataPata to be closed down for failing to adhere to Environmental Impact Assessment Report during the construction of the club in Malindi district in Kilifi county.
National Environmental Management Authority gave out the directions to close down the club which was officially opened on 31 March 2012 claiming that it had not met all required qualifications before it was opened .
According to a report from NEMA issued on 3 April 2012, the club failed to follow environmental procedures in construction directing the management of the club to stop its business as quickly as possible.
Speaking to journalists on phone Coast region NEMA General Manager Ali Mwanzei said the club had constructed its walls within the 60 meters riparian which is against the law.
"The club has constructed its wall within 60 meters riparian which is against NEMA laws and these are rules known to everybody so there is no excuse to that they have to close down the club,"he noted.
He went further to add that the club failed to adhere to the managements earlier Environmental Impact Assessment report which has forced the management to give notice to the club to be closed down.
"We want the club to do what the law entails according to environmental issues failure to which we are going to launch a complain in court over the issue because we can not sit and see our country's' environmental laws being defiled by people for their own benefits," said Mwanzei.
The clubs General Manager Fedele Grassi dismissed the claims and said they were mere propaganda meant to tarnish the reputation of the club.
He called off business rivals whom he baled for cooperating with the environmental management Authority to damage the image of the club.
Grassi told journalists that they had adhered to all environmental requirements and wondered which other requirements the club was supposed to follow.
"We have done all hat we were required by the law before we opened the club i don't know what else the management is claiming we should do. But we know all these issues have been brought up by our business rival," he added
He said there will be no concrete reason to stop the clubs' management from operating since they had followed all governments' requirements.
The club which was recently opened was expected to change the entire Malindi tourist town recreational arena by competing with other already established.
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