Traders whose stalls are located along Thika Superhighway in Roysambu woke up to losses in the morning hours of Thursday as their stalls were demolished in an exercise carried out by Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) officers.
The exercise began in the wee hours of Thursday at around 1:20 am when several stalls located near the Roysambu roundabout were brought down using heavy machinery. Many traders could only watch as their business was brought to a standstill as their stalls were demolished.
The traders claimed that their stalls, especially those located near the Shell Petrol Station in Roysambu, were brought down in an exercise that was carried out in the night. According to some of the traders, they had put their savings in the business and did not know how to raise money to start again.
Several security personnel were deployed to the area to ensure that no trader was left behind as their stalls were brought down. Several motorists slowed down their vehicles as they passed through Thika Road in a bid to see what was going on.
The Kenya National Highways Authority stated that the stalls had been erected in a road reserve and had been a threat to the lives of drivers using the road.
According to KeNHA, traders had been issued a notice prior to the demolition of their stalls.
KeNHA also noted that this was part of a larger plan to reorganize public transport operations along Thika Road. The plans also included the construction of a modern bus park, similar to the one proposed in the Githurai area.
However, the demolitions have been met with criticism from some leaders and traders. The Nairobi DCP patron and gubernatorial aspirant, Irungu Nyakera, has accused the government of conducting the demolitions without considering the traders who depend on the businesses for their livelihood.
The demolitions in Roysambu have also been noted to have a disconnect between the government’s promise of transforming Nairobi into a modern city and the reality of small traders losing their livelihood.
The demolitions in Roysambu have come just a few weeks after a similar operation was conducted in Githurai, which was met with protests from traders who clashed with the police and set bonfires, disrupting transport along parts of Thika Superhighway.
However, KeNHA has noted that the crackdown on illegal structures will continue in in other areas including Kahawa West as the government moves to reclaim road reserves and improve safety along one of Kenya’s busiest highways.