Traders at their stalls near the high voltage power lines and Kenya Pipeline Company oil line at Weavers Market in Kaptebwa, Nakuru County, on November 27, 2024.
In the sweltering November sun, the Soko Mjinga market in Kaptembwa, Nakuru City, bustles with life as vendors call out to customers, utensils clatter as food is prepared and the steady flow of buyers seek bargains.
But beneath this seemingly ordinary chaos lies a chilling reality.
Hundreds of traders are risking their lives operating atop a highly flammable fuel pipeline and directly beneath a web of high-voltage power lines.
For over a decade, this vibrant yet perilously located market has been a lifeline for more than 500 traders desperate to make ends meet amid Kenya's rising cost of living.
Traders at their stalls near the high voltage power lines and Kenya Pipeline Company oil line at Weavers Market in Kaptebwa, Nakuru County, on November 27, 2024.
With food stalls, makeshift kiosks and cooking fires metres from potential catastrophe, Soko Mjinga is more than just a market, it's a tragedy waiting to happen.
Even with repeated warnings and eviction notices from the government, the traders stay put largely driven by the unyielding need to survive.
As authorities issue a final ultimatum, the clock is ticking on what could become another devastating chapter in Kenya’s history of pipeline disasters, with the worst being the 2011 Nairobi's Sinai slum fire that killed over 100 people.
Soko Mjinga market stretches for four kilometres with stalls precariously perched above Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC)’s fuel line.
Traders sell everything from fish and vegetables to second-hand clothes, while others cook food dangerously close to the highly flammable channel.
“We don’t have a choice,” says Beatrice Omondi, a trader operating a makeshift kiosk. “Life is hard and this is the only way to provide for our families.”
The traders many of whom live hand-to-mouth, are undeterred by past tragedies including the Sinai explosion. Despite repeated eviction notices from authorities, Soko Mjinga remains a hive of activity, a testament to economic desperation.
Energy and Petroleum CS Opiyo Wandayi addresses journalists at the Kenya Pipeline Company in Nakuru on November 22, 2024. He gave a one-month notice to all those living on KPC’s oil line in Kaptebwa estate to vacate.
Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi last week sounded the alarm during a visit to a nearby oil depot. He issued a one-month ultimatum for traders to vacate the pipeline wayleave citing the risk of a catastrophe.
“It has come to my attention that a lot of private individuals and developers have encroached on our pipeline wayleave. As a matter of fact, I am briefed that the Soko Mjinga market has significantly encroached on our pipeline wayleave to the extent that some sections of the market have been constructed on top of the pipeline,” Mr Wandayi announced.
"We want all traders operating dangerously on top of the pipeline to leave to avert disaster. This is a very dangerous and risky development. As a government we are putting such persons on notice that they should take the shortest possible time to move from our wayleave areas," added CS Wandayi.
CS Wandayi warned the residents who have occupied the land of grave consequences if they do not heed the government’s directive.
“After one month if they don’t do so, we shall liaise with the relevant government agencies to take the next logical steps. The bottom line is that we must get rid people and settlements of this government land,” he stated.
For over 10 years, Soko Mjinga traders have resisted eviction attempts citing a lack of alternative trading spaces.
In 2019, KPC head of security in Nakuru, Mr Walter Ochieng, issued a two-month notice, yet the traders stayed put, citing economic hardships.
“The traders have built makeshift structures on top of our pipelines, greatly risking their lives. They must move because it is about their lives,” said a notice at the time.
An aerial view of Kaptebwa Estate in Nakuru County on November 26, 2024. Energy and Petroleum CS Opiyo Wandayi gave a one-month notice to all those sitting on Kenya Pipeline Company's oil line in the estate to vacate or face eviction.
Jesse Karanja, chairman of the lobby group People’s Power Watch told Nation.Africa they were concerned by the ignoring of the notice.
“Our major concern is the danger posed by fuel leaks or pilferage. One spark, and it would be a tragedy,” said Mr Karanja.
In 2021, an oil spill in the area was swiftly contained by KPC officials but it did little to deter the traders.
“Every time the government plans an eviction, we protest because we have nowhere else to go,” Mr Karanja said.
Traders also face dire sanitation issues. Lacking toilets and proper waste disposal they operate without permits, making the market’s continued existence an administrative nightmare.
Many traders acknowledge the risks but say they have no alternative.
“We know it’s dangerous, but we don’t have anywhere else to go. The cost of living is too high to stop working,” said Jane Kamau, a food vendor.
Another trader, Samuel Mwangi described the market as their “only lifeline”.
“Relocating is not something we can just do. If the government wants us to leave, they must provide an alternative,” he said.
Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika said her administration is working with the World Bank and national government to build modern markets across the county. Over Sh3 billion has been allocated for these projects.
“We are keen on providing safe and clean spaces where our traders can operate without fear. This is part of our commitment to improving livelihoods,” Ms Kihika said.
New markets are under construction in Bahati, Nakuru East, Njoro, Molo, and Gilgil. However, the timelines remain uncertain, leaving Soko Mjinga traders in limbo.
But for now, the traders of Soko Mjinga continue their daily activities, navigating the thin line between survival and disaster in one of Nakuru County’s riskiest markets.
