Tension gripped Nairobi’s Ngara area on Wednesday morning after a wave of protests erupted following the demolition of shops and kiosks at the popular Fig Tree market. The exercise, led by Governor Johnson Sakaja’s administration, is reportedly part of a larger plan to renovate and modernize the trading centre.
However, traders expressed outrage, claiming that their businesses were destroyed overnight by unidentified groups of young men allegedly escorted by armed police officers. According to witnesses, the demolition started under the cover of darkness, leaving many traders counting losses as structures and goods were reduced to rubble.
Angered by the move, the affected traders and residents took to the streets, barricading Limuru Road and lighting bonfires in protest. The demonstrations disrupted traffic flow on the busy road that connects Nairobi to Kiambu County, leaving commuters stranded for hours.
“We were not given any notice. We woke up to find our shops flattened and our goods destroyed. How are we supposed to survive?” lamented one trader. Others accused the county government of failing to provide alternative spaces for them to continue their businesses.
In response, county officials maintained that the demolition was a necessary step toward improving the market’s infrastructure and creating a safer, more organized trading environment. They assured traders that plans were underway to relocate them temporarily as construction begins.
Police officers were later deployed to restore order and reopen the road to traffic. By mid-morning, calm had been partially restored, though tension remained high as traders vowed to continue protesting until their grievances are addressed.
The incident highlights ongoing friction between small-scale traders and county authorities over urban renewal projects, raising questions about compensation, communication, and the right to earn a living in Nairobi’s fast-changing commercial landscape.
