Abdiweli Mohamed Hassan: Businessman at the center of political and procurement storms

Abdiweli Mohamed Hassan is a Nairobi-based businessman whose name has increasingly surfaced in Kenya’s public discourse, often framed by controversy rather than enterprise. Best known as the owner of Business Bay Square Mall in Eastleigh, Hassan has found himself drawn into high-profile political claims, contested procurement dealings and heated ethnic-political debates.

The Eastleigh mall thrust Hassan into the national spotlight after former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua publicly alleged that Business Bay Square was constructed using funds stolen from Minnesota in the United States.

However, Hassan has not been formally charged in relation to the allegations, and no court has made a determination on the claims.

However, a legal complaint has since been filed with the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) against Gachagua for allegedly linked Kenyan businesses and the Somali community to a fraud scandal in Minnesota, USA.

“The impugned remarks asserted that funds allegedly stolen through the Minnesota fraud scheme were brought into Kenya, invested in property in Eastleigh, and used to construct a shopping mall. The remarks extend beyond individualized allegations and invite conclusions of collective ethnic and commercial culpability without evidence,” MMA Advocates, BBS Mall lawyers said.

Following the remarks, leaders from Northern Kenya rallied to Hassan’s defence, terming the accusations politically motivated and unfairly targeted. They argued that Eastleigh’s business success has often been mischaracterised and that allegations against Somali-Kenyan entrepreneurs are frequently amplified without due process.

Gachagua also linked Hassan to claims of rice importation deals.

“I recently spoke about a mall in Eastleigh which was used to import rice at the expense of our farmers. I have seen people saying that I have attacked the mall. I never mentioned the mall- Rigathi Gachagua,” Gachagua said in a quick rejoinder.

In July last year, Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah demanded answers from the Standing Committee on Tourism, Trade, and Industrialisation regarding the rice importation quota granted to a popular mall located in Eastleigh, Nairobi County.

The Senator said that the mall was given permission by the government to import 500,000 metric tonnes of rice, which he believes is confusing rice farmers.

In a request submitted to the Senate on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, Omtatah questioned the importation quota’s legality and transparency, claiming that a large allocation to one private company raises concerns.

”I would like to seek a statement from the committee on the matter that is now a public concern. This development has raised concerns about the impact of this decision on local rice farmers,” Omtatah said.

Further, Omtatah noted that there was an apparent bypassing of established regulatory institutions such as the Agriculture Food Authority (AFA), which under the Crops Act is mandated to oversee decisions related to food crop imports.

Beyond the mall controversy, Hassan’s name has also been mentioned in connection with a Sh200billion medical equipment supply deal reportedly awarded to Sunview Medipro International. The contract, which has attracted scrutiny over its scale and procurement process.

When contacted for comment, Hassan had not responded by the time of publication.