Some traders operating from Wakulima Market along Haileselassie Avenue in Nairobi clashed with police and county officials on Thursday while resisting eviction.....CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
Nairobi government plans to transfer them from the facility, widely known as Marikiti, to the newly constructed one along Kangundo Road.
The development came two days after the traders were served with eviction notices and asked to relocate.
In a notice dated September 10, the acting County Secretary Godfrey Akumali directed potato, pineapple, oranges and onion traders to move to the newly opened Kangundo Road market.
This was in a bid to decongest the Central Business District to allow free flow of traffic and to provide parking space.
The changes were to take effect immediately.
“It has been decided that all onion, pineapple, oranges and Potato traders operating outside and inside the market relocate to Kangundo Road Market where there is spacious trading space and ample parking for business,” Akumali directed.
Officials said the new facility is spacious and the traders should not worry about customers who would naturally follow them.
At about 4 am on Thursday, county security officials arrived to clear the stalls housing traders. This sparked outrage, prompting run-ins.
They vowed not to move out claiming the new market was already occupied.
The group lit bonfires and used boulders to block the busy road as police tried to use teargas canisters to disperse them.
This caused a huge traffic jam on the road and adjacent ones before personnel were deployed to direct them elsewhere.
The standoff continued for hours as the traders demanded a chat with Governor Johnson Sakaja.
“The governor needs to come here personally and not to send his people to talk to us. We need assurance,” said one trader.
The market is popular for vegetables.
The traders managed to chase the county officials as police watched from a distance.
Nairobi police boss Adamson Bungei said the protests disrupted traffic flow.
“We have called all concerned parties to come for talks to solve this mess,” he said.
The county government has been relocating traders to clean the mess created at the sites.
There have been complaints that the traders at Wakulima Market flock to nearby roads to sell their produce.
Last week, the county officials cleared traders operating on the roadside at Karen Shopping Centre.
Sakaja said he involved stakeholders to enhance businesses.
“We have been holding talks on this issue for long and they know the truth. They must move out to enhance other operations,” said Sakaja.
The government has built several markets around the city to relocate those in crowded areas for better service delivery….CLICK HERE FOR MORE ARTICLE>>>
