Roadside traders in Githurai count huge losses after stall demolitions

The operation, carried out by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), came barely a day after traders staged protests against the planned demolition.

The traders say the move has crippled their livelihoods, leaving many without a source of living.

Although they had been issued a vacation notice, the traders faulted the government for failing to provide them with alternative trading spaces before the demolition.

They said the stalls were their only means of survival and accused authorities of pushing them into poverty.

The traders also criticised the government for making what they termed empty promises to end forced demolitions across the country, saying the latest operation contradicted those assurances.

By the time of going to press, heavy police deployment had been witnessed in the area amid fears of fresh protests along the busy Thika Superhighway.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has called out the government over the demolition, terming it inhumane.

"Treating citizens as criminals while they struggle to navigate a mutilated economy is a new low for a government led by elites who are completely disconnected from the realities faced by ordinary people," Gachagua noted.

"It is a stark reminder of how far disconnected they are from the struggles of the common mwananchi, which they have caused through bad leadership and poor policy."

In a notice on February 9, 2026, KeNHA  said that the clearance was targeting sections of the busy superhighway encroached by roadside traders.

The Authority singled out traders at Roysambu and Githurai, saying that the clearance would allow for the construction of designated bus bays and ensure orderly passenger pick-ups and drop-offs.