Roadside traders on Eastleigh’s Athumani Kipanga Street count losses as structures are demolished
Last month, mall owners along the street threatened to take legal action against Nairobi City County if the illegal businesses were not removed.
Business activities in Eastleigh came to a standstill on Wednesday morning as Nairobi City County enforcement officers demolished structures along Athumani Kipanga Street, also known as Jam Street.
The demolition targeted shops and kiosks erected on the roadside, affecting hundreds of traders who had been operating their businesses in the area.
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The operation, carried out using excavators, left traders counting losses amounting to millions of shillings.
Business owners watched helplessly as their premises, many made from shipping containers, were reduced to rubble. The affected businesses included butcheries, electronics shops, clothing stores, vegetable stalls, fish markets and snack vendors.
One of the most affected traders was a businessman who said he had recently invested over Sh10 million in acquiring structures that he had converted into butcheries. The business had been thriving, especially during this holy month of Ramadan, but was destroyed in the operation.
Tensions rose as traders tried to salvage whatever they could from the debris. Some armed themselves with sticks to protect their goods from opportunistic thieves who attempted to loot items from the demolished shops. Clashes erupted between property owners and looters, creating insecurity in the area.
The demolition also attracted scrap metal dealers who moved in to collect any unmanned metal from the destroyed structures.
"Last night, I slept a man with a running business; today I am left with nothing," said Ahmed Jili'ow, one of the affected traders.
Sources told The Eastleigh Voice that the Eastleigh Business District Association (EBDA) had supported the removal of the roadside businesses. The association had argued that the structures were illegal and contributed to congestion on the street.
These structures and businesses had encroached on pavements and roadways, forcing pedestrians and motorists to squeeze through narrow spaces. This had contributed to persistent traffic jams, making it difficult for shoppers and suppliers to access malls in the area.
Last month, mall owners along the street threatened to take legal action against Nairobi City County if the illegal businesses were not removed.
Twenty-two mall owners and property managers had called on Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to take action against hawkers and taxi operators occupying the street.
EBDA Organising Secretary Omar Abdi said the issue had persisted for years, stating that the presence of hawkers, boda boda riders and illegally parked taxis had led to congestion, making it difficult for businesses to operate efficiently.
"The road is completely blocked, making it difficult for people to access the malls and for lorries to offload goods," Omar said.
According to him, the congestion has negatively affected approximately 5,200 shops operating in the malls along this Street. He noted that businesses had experienced a decline in sales due to limited customer access.
"Shoppers cannot come in or go out freely because of the illegal taxis parked on the road, the boda bodas, the hawkers with wheelbarrows, and other structures on the road. The main road is locked," Omar said.
For the small-scale traders who relied on these roadside structures, the demolition has left them without a source of income. Many of them had operated businesses in the area for years, serving customers who preferred the convenience of street shopping.
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