Maasai Market traders moved to Agha Khan Walk parking after demolitions

Hundreds of Maasai Market Traders who used to ply their trade in the Central Business District of Nairobi have finally accepted to occupy the Agha Khan Walk parking square.

The traders, who staged demonstrations against what they termed unfair displacement from their place of work around the Supreme Court building last month, were reluctant to move to the parking square.

On Saturday, the Eastleigh Voice toured their new place of business where they have erected makeshift tents to display their wares.

A customer holds a cloth at a stall at the Agha Khan Walk parking lot where Maasai Market Traders have occupied. (Photo: Barack Oduor)

George Omari, who deals in artefacts said he has had no option but to move after the County Government forcefully ejected them from their initial grounds.

"We have been doing business next to the Supreme Court of Kenya on weekends since 2008. I am surprised that the decision to evict us was hurriedly made," said Omari.

The traders, who told the Eastleigh Voice that their customers are still not used to their new selling place, claimed a private investor who operates a parking lot is charging them Sh2,000 every Saturday, leaving out those who cannot afford it.

"To have a space in this parking lot is also not easy. You have to pay Sh2,000 to a private investor who manages this space," said Irene Wairimu who deals in Africa-themed clothes.

During their forceful ejection last month in which their stalls got destroyed, the county government of Nairobi said the alternative place for the traders was the sunken parking lot along Aga Khan Walk.

The traders' initial market also suffered damages during the Generation Z protests that saw the fence around the Supreme Court destroyed.

Maasai Market Traders display their wares at Agha Khan Walk parking square. (Photo: Barack Oduor)

Governor Johnson Sakaja's administration admitted that the land on which the Maasai traders are presently conducting their business is privately owned but it has invited their leaders to chart a way forward.

The Maasai Market, known for its eclectic mix of traditional Maasai crafts, jewellery, and souvenirs, has been a significant economic activity point in Nairobi’s central business district.

However, recent events have shaken the stability of the traders who have called this place home for over a decade. The immediate trigger for the protests was the demolition of their previous market location, which occurred amidst the Gen Z-led demonstrations that swept through the city.

According to the affected traders, their current predicament has been compounded by exorbitant fees imposed on them to get selling spaces.

"These charges have led to a situation where only those who can afford it can continue with business, thus affecting several households who depend on these traders for their livelihoods," adds Wairimu.