Sauti Sol singer Bien Aime Baraza, along with other co-directors of The Manhattan, a bar and grill nightclub, have filed a lawsuit against the landlord following the closure of the establishment.
Situated on the first floor of Imaara Mall on Mombasa Road in Nairobi, The Manhattan operated for a year and eight months before abruptly shutting down two weeks ago. Renowned for its cultural significance, the venue was known as the cultural capital of Nairobi.
The club's directors, including Bien, claim that they were compelled to cease operations due to unresolved disputes with the landlord.
“Regrettably, The Manhattan has been closed for the past two weeks due to circumstances beyond our control, which we believe amount to breach of contract, intimidation and harassment by our landlord, Tuffsteel Limited,” the directors said in a statement released on April 5.
They say their efforts to find an amicable solution with the landlord have remained a wild goose chase.
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“Although we have tried to resolve the issue amicably through our directors, emissaries and repeated requests for mediation, there has been no positive resolution to date. We have therefore sought legal redress to protect the interests of our business and the welfare of our employees, suppliers and business partners. It’s our sincere hope that justice will prevail through the legal system,” the statement continued.
The directors say they hope to reopen soon, describing the situation to their customers as ‘just an interlude’.
The nightclub opened in July 2022 to much celebrity hype and buzz, with Bien explaining that the reason he decided to invest in the business was because he wanted a place of his own where he could mingle with his fans.
“I also wanted an environment where I could have fun. I realised that I don’t go out much anymore, I get paid every time I go out and that made my relationships with the clubs more transactional and that’s when I vowed to build my own place where I can feel good and people can have fun with me”. Bien said in an earlier interview when the venue opened.
Manhattan's temporary closure follows Whiskey Rivers's footsteps, which shut down after six years without explanation. Similarly, 1824, a renowned nightclub in Langata, faced a temporary closure in December 2023 due to a reported dispute between the landlord and the owner. Although it was later reopened, the government demolished it just two months after its reopening.
