Hawkers risk eviction from Muthurwa market
Vegetable vendors at Muthurwa Market on July 22, 2020.
What you need to know:
- Kenya Railways insists the market has encroached on its land.
More than 10,000 traders in Nairobi’s Muthurwa market fear losing their jobs after Kenya Railways gave them a notice to vacate.
Speaking yesterday, the Muthurwa Traders Association chairman Nelson Githaiga Waithaka said more than 19 matatu saccos will also be denied access to the Muthurwa terminus.
He asked the national government to intervene, saying there was no public participation.
“Kenya Railways earmarked structures to be demolished at night in what it termed as boundary demarcation,” Mr Githaiga said.
He added that if the demolition is implemented, hundreds of commuters from Eastlands will be stranded, adding that heavy gridlock is expected in the busy Jogoo Road and Enterprise and Lusaka roads in Industrial Area.
Mr Githaiga said the Nairobi Metropolitan Services is silent on the issue.
Kenya Railways insists the market encroached on its land.
“The market starts from the sweet potatoes yard next to the Muthurwa police post and stretches to Haile Sellasie Avenue, bordering Wakulima Market,’’ Mr Githaiga said.
The market was officially opened by former President Mwai Kibaki in March 2008.
The traders said they were operating from the central business district but were relocated to the Muthurwa market.
“We were settled here by the government since 2008. How can Kenya Railways evict us now yet former President Kibaki opened the market officially?’’ posed Ms Veronicah Njambi, a tomato seller.
